Pierre Cherpin, French motorcycle rider has been pronounced dead, just five days after crashing during the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally. He died from injuries caused by his fall during the 7th stage.
According to the organizers, Pierre Cherpin, who was taking part in his fourth Dakar rally, had neurosurgery in Saudi Arabia after the crash.
His first participation was back in 2009, when the Dakar took place for the first time in South America. He signed up in the unassisted bikers’ category and came back in 2012 still in the same category. He completed the race both times. He came back for a third time in 2015 but he had to give up after an engine failure.
Six years later, in 2021, he joined the same category, known now as “Original by Motul”. “He was driven by the curiosity of discovering a new continent. On the evening of the 6th stage, he was occupying the 77th position in the general standings,” the organisers said.
The report said the 52-year-old was placed in a medically induced coma in hospital.
“During his transfer by medical plane from Jeddah to France, Pierre Cherpin died from the injuries caused by his fall,” Dakar Rally organisers said.
“Urgently operated in neurosurgery, he had since then been kept in an induced coma, his condition having remained stable over the past few days.
“He was airlifted from Sakaka to Jeddah’s hospital from where he was going to be transferred to Lille’s hospital.”
Cherpin’s death is the first of the 2021 Dakar Rally, an annual off-road endurance event where competitors use vehicles including bikes, quads, cars and trucks.
In the 2020 event, Portugal’s Paulo Goncalves and Dutch motorcyclist Edwin Straver both died following accidents.
The 2021 event ended on Friday, with France’s Stephane Peterhansel winning the car race – his 14th overall victory. Argentina’s Kevin Benavides won the motorbike category, in which Briton Sam Sunderland, the 2017 champion, came third.