This Sunday, during the first stage of the Dakar 2023, Sam Sunderland crashed. Outgoing winner in the motorcycle category, the Briton is already forced to retire.
First big thunderclap on the 2023 edition of the Dakar. The prestigious rally-raid race only started this Sunday, on the side of Saudi Arabia. But, already, it loses one of its biggest names. And not least. In effect, the winner of the 2022 edition, in the motorcycle category, namely the Briton Sam Sunderland, now 33, was forced to retire.
The GasGas driver crashed during this first stage and was therefore unable to get back on the road. This announcement was made by ASO, through a press release. The organizers of the event thus declared in particular on this subject: “The defending champion fell at km 52 of the special and was taken care of by the medical service. »
❌ @sundersam the title holder of last year’s edition of the Dakar and FIM @officialw2rc crashed at km 52 of the special and was taken care of by the medical team. #Dakar2023 pic.twitter.com/RwLMQ2ILKD
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 1, 2023
Already a retirement in 2018, a year after his first success on the Dakar
While also being reassuring about the state of health of the principal concerned: “Conscious and having full mobility, he however suffers from back pain and was airlifted to Yanbu hospital for additional examinations. » This type of big misadventure, Sam Sunderland has already experienced it, still on the Dakar. Indeed, the Briton had already won the 2017 edition, already in the motorcycle category. It was then his first victory. And the following year, the Briton had then, there too, been forced to retire, on the 2018 edition.