VOLUME 57 ISSUE 2 JANUARY 14, 2020 P33
R.I.P. Paulo Goncalves
P
aulo Goncalves has died fol-
lowing an accident on Stage
Seven of the 2020 Dakar Rally.
The veteran Dakar rider, who
first competed in the event in
2006, crashed at the 276-km
marker at 10:16 a.m. local time.
The Portuguese was found
unconscious, having gone into
cardiac arrest and was assisted
at the scene by Red Bull KTM's
Toby Price, Slovnaft Rally Team's
Stefan Svitko and stage winner,
Monster Energy Honda Team
rider Kevin Benavides.
Goncalves was airlifted from
the accident scene to Layla Hos-
pital, where he was pronounced
dead. He was 40 years old.
Goncalves was an integral fea-
ture of the Dakar in recent years,
having competed for BMW, the
Speedbrain Husqvarna team and
Team HRC, with his best result
of second overall coming in the
2015 race behind Marc Coma.
The Portuguese also clinched
the 2013 FIM Cross-Countries
Rally World Championship for
then BMW-owned Husqvarna.
Goncalves switched to Hero
Motorcycles for 2020, after
his former team, Speedbrain,
announced an alliance with the
Indian manufacturer. He was
teamed with his brother-in-law
Joaquim Rodriguez.
His 2020 Dakar was going
well, having finished in the top
10 for three straight days prior
to the rest day at the midpoint
of the rally. Goncalves' Hero
Motorsports team has decided
to withdraw from the 2020 Dakar
Rally as a mark of respect to
their fallen star.
Tributes have flowed in over
social media, with racing leg-
ends such as Marc Marquez,
Marc Coma, Laia Sanz and
Toby Price all sending condo-
lences. CN
Paulo Goncalves has passed
away following an accident on
Stage Seven of the 2020 Dakar
Rally. He was 40 years old.
