Samster
chamon motherf*cker
Australian motorcyclist Andy Caldecott has been killed in a crash in the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally.
The 41-year-old KTM rider, who won last Monday's third stage, was in 10th place overall after Saturday's eighth stage.
Fellow KTM rider Marc Coma retains the overall lead in the bike class with a 22-minute advantage over Cyril Despres, who won Monday's stage.
In the car category, defending champion Stephane Peterhansel of Mitsubishi won the stage to extend his lead.
The Frenchman, who is chasing a third consecutive Dakar Rally win, now leads Mitsubishi team-mate Luc Alphand by nine minutes.
But the day's action was overshadowed by the death of Caldecott, who crashed 250km into Monday's 599km stage between Nouakchott and Kiffa in Mauritania.
He becomes the 23rd competitor to die in the Dakar Rally since the event started 28 years ago.
"We learned at 1157GMT of the death of Andy Caldecott who fell after 250km," said race director Etienne Lavigne.
"He probably died instantly. We learned of the accident at 1131 and the helicopter landed at 1155. His death was confirmed at 1157. His family have been informed."
Last year two motorcyclists died - Spain's Juan Manuel Perez and Italy's Fabrizio Meoni.
Caldecott, who was married with one child, won the Australia Safari four times from 2000 and 2003 and was competing in his third Dakar.
He had retired from riding last year, having failed to raise sufficient funds but was given a surprise Dakar Rally chance by KTM just before Christmas, as replacement for Jordi Duran.
Later in the stage, Spaniard Isidre Esteve Pujol withdrew from the event after falling twice during the stage.
"Pujol is injured but he's not in danger," organisers said.
According to Pujol's team manager Eric Bernard, the Spaniard - who was second in the overall standings before the day's racing started - was evacuated by helicopter to Nouakchott.
This photo was taken 6 days before Andy was killed.
Rest in Peace.
The 41-year-old KTM rider, who won last Monday's third stage, was in 10th place overall after Saturday's eighth stage.
Fellow KTM rider Marc Coma retains the overall lead in the bike class with a 22-minute advantage over Cyril Despres, who won Monday's stage.
In the car category, defending champion Stephane Peterhansel of Mitsubishi won the stage to extend his lead.
The Frenchman, who is chasing a third consecutive Dakar Rally win, now leads Mitsubishi team-mate Luc Alphand by nine minutes.
But the day's action was overshadowed by the death of Caldecott, who crashed 250km into Monday's 599km stage between Nouakchott and Kiffa in Mauritania.
He becomes the 23rd competitor to die in the Dakar Rally since the event started 28 years ago.
"We learned at 1157GMT of the death of Andy Caldecott who fell after 250km," said race director Etienne Lavigne.
"He probably died instantly. We learned of the accident at 1131 and the helicopter landed at 1155. His death was confirmed at 1157. His family have been informed."
Last year two motorcyclists died - Spain's Juan Manuel Perez and Italy's Fabrizio Meoni.
Caldecott, who was married with one child, won the Australia Safari four times from 2000 and 2003 and was competing in his third Dakar.
He had retired from riding last year, having failed to raise sufficient funds but was given a surprise Dakar Rally chance by KTM just before Christmas, as replacement for Jordi Duran.
Later in the stage, Spaniard Isidre Esteve Pujol withdrew from the event after falling twice during the stage.
"Pujol is injured but he's not in danger," organisers said.
According to Pujol's team manager Eric Bernard, the Spaniard - who was second in the overall standings before the day's racing started - was evacuated by helicopter to Nouakchott.
This photo was taken 6 days before Andy was killed.
Rest in Peace.
