Chilecito, Argentina: Dakar Rally organisers on Wednesday hunted for clues to the cause of the death of motorbike rider Michal Hernik that plunged the race into mourning after only three days.
The 39-year-old Polish rider’s body was found 300 metres from the desert track with no apparent injury and no damage to his motorbike that would indicate an accident, according to race director Etienne Lavigne.
Lavigne added that there was no helmet on Hernik when the body was found.
“The circumstances surrounding his death have yet to be determined, as the competitor did not show any external signs of an accident,” said a rally statement.
Organisers sent a helicopter to look for Hernik after he failed to arrive at the finish line of Tuesday’s stage between the Argentinian towns of Villa Carlos Paz and Chilecito. His satellite tracker had stopped sending signals.
His was the fifth death since the rally was moved to South America in 2009 over security concerns in the Sahara region and the 24th since the race was created in 1979.
Mohammad Bin Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ACTUAE), paid tribute to Hernik, who was one of six Polish riders who competed in last year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and finished 15th overall.
“This is very sad news, and our thoughts are with Michal’s family and friends,” said Bin Sulayem. “He was doing what he loved to do, and it is tragic when a competitor loses his life in circumstances like this.
“He took part in the Desert Challenge to help prepare himself for his first attempt at the Dakar Rally. We are very sad that he won’t be returning, but we will remember him.”
Before that, Orlando Terranova had maintained the Mini team’s winning streak by claiming his second-stage win to move third overall in the auto standings led by teammate Nasser Al Attiyah.
In the motorbike section, Austria’s Matthias Walkner was a surprise winner of his first Dakar stage, ahead of KTM teammate and reigning champion Marc Coma and overall race leader Joan Barreda Bort of Spain.
After crashing on Monday, Terranova bounced back on his home soil, producing a strong effort in the second part of the 542km stage.
Al Attiyah, the 2011 champion and winner of Monday’s stage, finished fifth in Tuesday’s stage.
South Africa’s Giniel De Villiers, picked up his third podium finish in three days, ahead of another Toyota driven by Saudi Arabia’s Al Rahji Zayed, to stay second overall.
Terranova pulled back almost two minutes on Toyota’s De Villiers, the 2009 winner, and more than four minutes on Qatari Al Attiyah in the overall standings.
Spaniard Carlos Sainz, winner in 2010, finished fourth at four minutes six seconds to move up to fourth overall, while fellow Peugeot veteran Stephane Peterhansel finished seventh, nine minutes off the pace, to sit 16th overall at one hour 12 min.
Before learning about Hernik’s death, Walkner revealed that he had found the course challenging.
“I made some little mistakes because it was a little bit dangerous today with many stones and it forced you over the limit, but overall it was quite good,” said Walkner.
“It’s my first rally and I hope I can enjoy it.”
