***
2 times champion Fabrizio Meoni (KTM) dies ***
47
year old Italian Fabrizio Meoni won
the Paris Dakar Rally
in 2001 and 2002.
2005 was his 13th Dakar. He crashed during stage 11 (Jan 11) and
died from a heart attack. Meoni leaves behind wife Elena, son
Gioele and daughter Chiara.
He
becomes the 11th rider to die (& 45th competitor) in Paris
Dakar Rally history.
DAKAR
RALLY (Etienne Lavigne, Dierector) "... We sent a helicopter
when he fell and they found his heart had stopped - sadly they
were unable to revive him ... The entire Dakar caravan wishes
to express its sincere condolences to his family, his friends
and his many admirers."
COMA
(KTM): "... There was only one Fabrizio ... He was unique.
His age! His navigation! For me, he was a reference and will always
be. I'm young in this race being here only since three years.
He was an example for us. Fabrizio was a 'gentleman'. And now
he's gone"
KTM
PRESS RELEASE:
Fabrizio
Meoni's fatal accident
Fabrizio
Meoni was in a serious crash during the 11th stage of the Dakar
Rally. Despite immediate medical attention, it was not possible
to save Fabrizio Meoni's life and he died of his injuries at the
scene of the accident.
Due
to this tragic incident the KTM management explicitly urges all
KTM teams and factory riders to break off the Dakar Rally. KTM
is however leaving it up to the individual drivers, teams and
their sponsors to decide whether or not to continue the Rally.
Since
KTM lost two of its best rally pilots, Fabrizio Meoni and Richard
Sainct, in fatal accidents within a period of only a few months,
the manufacturer will be contemplating its future support for
the rally sport.
Our
thoughts go out to Fabrizio's wife and children.
