Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/689331
IN THE WIND P44 LUIS SALOM PASSES AFTER CATALUNYA CRASH T he death of Moto2 rider Luis Salom left the MotoGP world reeling following his crash during practice at Catalunya, June 4. The 24-year-old Spaniard had been a prominent member of the community even before he joined its ranks, as one of the leading riders in the inaugural Red Bull Rookies Cup. Salom, riding competitively from the age of eight, was in some ways typical of the current generation of Spanish riders, dedicated and determined. But compared to some more privi- leged compatriots, he had to fight to gain high-level support. He was also a unique charac- ter with an often somber mien, and openly emotional in victory and defeat. This was reflected in the strength of the emotion he left behind him, after his sudden and violent departure. Salom was born in Palma de Mallorca on August 7, 1991, and moved rapidly through the junior ranks of Spanish racing to be- come an obvious choice for the newly formed Red Bull Rookies Cup in 2007, winning a race in his first year and finishing runner up in 2008, just four points adrift of American JD Beach. His first GP in 2009 was in the 125 class at Jerez, as a wild card for the same SAG team for whom he was riding in 2016. For the last ten rounds, he was taken into the Jack & Jones team to replace a defecting Simone Corsi, with a best of sixth at Donington Park. A similarly checkered 2010 saw him switch teams from Lambretta to Aprilia, with a best of fifth at Estoril. He was 12th that year, eighth the next, and in 2012 in the new Moto3, riding a Kalex-KTM, Salom finished a distant second overall to Sandro Cortese, claiming his first GP win at Indianapolis, and adding one more at Aragon. His fighting style earned him a place in the factory-backed Red Bull KTM team for 2013. Salom moved to Moto2 in 2014. This year, back with the SAG team, he finished an emo- tional second in the first round at Qatar, but again battled to find consistency, with a best of ninth among four more finishes in the points. Among many messages of condolence, one of the most moving was from his former Red Bull Moto3 team, Ajo Motors- port, ending simply: "Rest in peace, 'Mexicano,' we will never forget you." One of the most ap- posite was from Cal Crutchlow: "Our sport is the best sport in the world, but can be so very cruel sometimes." Salom's crash was atypical, in that it happened at a corner where falls are uncommon. More than that, it was a freak accident. His trajectory was beyond any predictions, wide of the usual line. As a result, he passed nar- rowly to the left of a gravel trap that might have slowed him down and saved his life. Instead, his bike continued at high speed across a paved area, in place in the interest of Formula 1. It struck the air-fence, and bounced back, but before it had come to rest the sliding rider ar- rived at barely reduced speed. Salom plowed into his own bike, and sustained the injuries that—in spite of commendably prompt and expert medical inter- vention—would prove fatal. A statement from the medi- cal team explained that he had suffered cardiac arrest in the impact. Trackside treatment last- ing 18 minutes included intuba- tion and CPR; while the medical helicopter landed at the scene, before it was decided to transfer him to hospital by ambulance. Emergency surgery failed to revive him, and he was declared dead shortly before 5 p.m., almost an hour and a half after the crash. Michael Scott Luis Salom: 1991-2016