[wheeledwanderer]

For the first time in the history of Dakar, the 2020 race is being held outside of its traditional hometown of sub Saharan Africa in Saudi Arabia. Since its inception in 1978, there have been 71 known deaths out of which 29 are competitor fatalities and among these 20 are motorcycle related. The Dakar rally has received wide spread criticism for the high mortality rates. Even though the event tests the mettle of both man (also women!) and the machine it is also those unknown terrains of nature which no rider or driver knows of until he is physically into it.

Dakar 2020 saw death of Paulo Gonçalves, a Portuguese veteran rider who was racing for Indian motorcycle manufacturer Hero Motorsports. The current race was Paulo's career 13th for the 40-year-old who was fondly called "Speedy Gonçalves" and he was one of the most experienced riders in the field. Paulo made his Dakar debut in 2006 and had finished four times in the top 10 including a runner-up finish in 2015. He was 2013 cross-country rallies world champion and was currently placed 46th overall at the end of Stage 6 in the current season of the Dakar Rally 2020.

Paulo had a crash at stage 7 of the rally and went unconscious after having an cardiac arrest.

In stage 3 he single-handedly replaced the entire engine of the bike when it conked off and finished this stage after he arrived late at night to the finish line to start the next stage in a few hours.

Link to the video of his heroic deed is here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFydwzLowsY

Rest in Peace Paulo! Not many die doing what they love the most! You are a true Hero and you have left your mark in this world which many cannot even think off!

[anjan_c2007]

Just read the information on a Whatsapp group too. Sad news for all of us enthusiasts and more sad because though a foreign national, he was representing our very own Hero Motocop, India.

Speedy Gonzales is a speedy mouse character appearing in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons. Nicknamed "The Fastest Mouse In All Of Mexico," his major characteristics are the ability to run extremely fast and speaking with an exaggerated Mexican accent.

The phrase "Speedy Gonzales", apt for the late biker is also the title of an old pop hit by Pat Boone (1962):-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4s2AMKPHnE

[GTO]

Thread moved to the Motorsports section - thanks for sharing!

[tharian]

It also brings Hero Motosports and CS Santosh's Dakar 2020 to an end.

From his Instagram :

[wheelguy]

Following the death of rider Paulo Goncalves after a crash on Stage 7 of the 2020 Dakar Rally, the Hero MotoSports Team Rally squad has decided to withdraw from the remainder of the event.

Goncalves, who was piloting the No.8 Hero, had put in some stellar performances for the team over the course of the event. He was leading the way for the team during the rally's seventh stage when he crashed at the 276km mark. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.

While the eighth stage of the Dakar was cancelled for cars and motorcycles, Hero MotoSports has now released an official statement saying that they will not continue in their participation of this year's event.

"The entire Hero MotoSports Team is in deep mourning after the tragic demise of our rider Paulo Goncalves on Sunday. With immense respect for our departed teammate, Hero MotoSports will not continue its participation at the Dakar Rally 2020. The other riders, along with the team management and support staff, will join the grieving family of Paulo," the statement read.

Source: Overdrive

[Zed]

Originally Posted by wheeledwanderer

For the first time in the history of Dakar, the 2020 race is being held outside of its traditional hometown of sub Saharan Africa in Saudi Arabia.

This is incorrect. The Dakar has been held in South America since 2010, if I recall correctly, on account of security concerns in the original Paris-Dakar route.