VALE PAULO
GONCALVES
Photo: Natacha Pisarenko/AP Photo
T
he Dakar Rally cemented its reputation
for danger this year with the passing of
experienced competitor Paulo Goncalves
during the 7th stage of Dakar 2020.
Goncalves, 40, was riding in his 13th Dakar rally
after making the switch from Honda to Indian
manufacturer Hero late last year, when he sadly
passed away in a racing accident on the 546km
Riyadh-Wadi Al Dawasir stage of the event.
The Portuguese rider suffered a crash at
the 276km mark at 10.16am local time and
was found by Australian rider Toby Price
who alerted officials to the downed rider.
A medical helicopter was dispatched,
and Goncalves was found unconscious
having gone into cardiac arrest.
He was airlifted to Layla Hospital,
where he was later pronounced dead.
Price was notably upset after the experience,
which he viewed as returning the favour to
Goncalves who had himself come to the aid
of Price in the 2018 edition of the Dakar when
the Australian broke his leg during the rally.
“Yesterday’s stage was starting well,
great pace and feeling good on the
bike until the refuel”, he wrote.
“Paulo took off into the stage about five minutes
before me and the worst case had happened.
I came over a small crest and saw a rider down,
and it was Paulo. Worst fears kicked in cause
I knew this one was serious. I called for help
ASAP and helped get him on his side [plus more
14 KIWI RIDER
serious checks]. Tried calling for more help and
by this stage, Štefan Svitko [also a champion]
had arrived and was helping where he could.
“The first helicopter arrived and Luc Alphand
was starting to help, and as the medical helicopter
arrived they were already on CPR and the
doctors got to our sides and worked all they
could. Helping to hold drip bags, getting bags
of medical equipment and guiding other riders
around a bad scene, we all worked as long as
we could, but there was nothing we could do.
I helped assist carrying him to the helicopter
as it was the right thing to do. I was first at his
side and wanted to be the last to leave.”
“We will miss you’re smile and laughter in the
bivouac #speedy. My last 250km of special
stage was tough, I’m dehydrated from tears.”
Price wasn’t the only competitor rocked by the
loss of Goncalves, and as a result of his death and
the shockwaves it sent throughout the moto field,
Stage 8 was cancelled for motorcycle competitors
as a sign of respect for the fallen Portuguese rider.
Goncalves was a long-time enduro rider
and former world cross-country enduro
champion. Having ridden for Honda,
BMW and Husqvarna, Dakar 2020 was
the Portuguese rider’s first with Hero.
After the passing of Goncalves, the Hero
Motorcycles team withdrew from Dakar 2020.
Paulo Goncalves is the first competitor to
have died contesting the Dakar since Michal
Hernik in the 2015 edition of the rally.