Meoni dies during 11th Dakar stage
Tuesday, 11 January 2005 13:10Fabrizio Meoni, winner in 2001 and 2002, died of a heart attack on today's 11th stage of the Dakar-2005 rally, organisers said.
Meoni crashed his KTM around 184 kilometres into stage 11, between Atar and Kiffa in Mauritania. A medical helicopter was scrambled to assist the two-time Dakar winner, but after 45 minutes of treatment he was pronounced dead.
Meoni had been just nine minutes behind leader Cyril Despres at the beginning of today's stage as he chased a third victory in the endurance challenge.
His death was confirmed by rally organisers who issued a statement saying: "The entire Dakar caravan wishes to express its sincere condolences to his family, his friends and his many admirers."
Meoni is the second rider to die as a result of injuries sustained on the Dakar in as many days. Yesterday Spanish rider Jose Manuel Perez succumbed to the injuries he suffered last Thursday.
Perez had sustained abdominal injuries in a fall and despite being transferred back to Spain for treatment after initial attention in Africa, he died at the age of 41 in Alicante.
