Defending champion Sam Sunderland is out of the Dakar Rally 2018 after suffering a crash in stage four of the race.
The 28 year old was leading the first two stages but a crash in stage four resulted in a back trauma which forced him out of the race.
Sam Sunderland was the first British Dakar Rally champion to ever win last year on board his KTM 450 Rally bike.
It has been reported that the current defending champion of the Dakar Rally Sam Sunderland from the KTM squad is out of the Dakar Rally 2018 race after suffering a crash that ended his efforts. After four stages of gruelling racing, the first ever British Dakar Rally champion was forced to end his campaign after suffering some significant injuries.
Sam Sunderland was actually leading the race in the first two stages. Riding his KTM 450 Rally machine, a crash caused some sort of back trauma which forced him to stop as it was affecting the normal feelings on his legs. The 28 year old Brit has been evacuated at the Bivouac for further check-ups from the medical team.
According to KTM team manager Alex Doringer, Sunderland was searching for one of the Rally’s Way Point Control and jumped into a huge hole which resulted in a major compression. The defending champion immediately felt a sharp abrupt pain in his back but continued on for another 5km before forcing to stop as he could barely feel anything in his legs.
The latest updates have indicated that Sunderland has been air flown to Lima, Peru for more updates at a proper medical centre. The feelings on his leg have slowly returned which is a good sign but the move to Lima was to make sure that everything is good.
Sam Sunderland was the first ever British Dakar Rally champion who brought in a massive for KTM last year. All podium finishers were riding the KTM 450 Rally bikes. To know more, CLICK HERE.
