The pilot Paulo Gonçalves dies in an accident in the Dakar

Paulo Gonçalves has died this Sunday during the seventh stage of the Dakar rally, according to the organization of the rally.

The 40-year-old Portuguese driver suffered a very hard accident at about kilometer 263 of the stage between Riyadh and Wadi Al Dawasir (Saudi Arabia), which had the longest timed stretch of the entire rally, with a total of 546 kilometers of competition

After the accident, which caused a cardiorespiratory arrest, the assists have tried to resuscitate him in situ. Afterwards, the Portuguese was taken by helicopter to the LAYLA hospital , where his death was certified.

Gonçalves, a native of Esposende, participated for the thirteenth time in the toughest rally in the world and, for the first time, did it with the Indian motorcycle brand Hero , after having previously competed with the Japanese Honda, with which in 2015 he was second in the Dakar, the best result of his career. In his record also highlighted the two stages won in the test, one in 2011 and another in 2015, in Uyuni.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

• Dakar Rally
• sports

More MotorPeterhansel goes on the attack and Alonso comes back down: "The last kilometers became endless"

More MotorAlonso, on the exit ramp of the Dakar: From 'Game of Thrones' to 'The Fantastic Car'

Dakar 2020Sainz, for his third Dakar: "There were many suspicions about the traps, so better attack him to the fullest"