Adrien Van Beveren Out of Dakar Rally
Jean Turner | January 16, 2018
In a devastating blow to the Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team, and a major shakeup in the 2018 Dakar Rally, Adrien Van Beveren has exited the race. The Frenchman was less than two miles from the finish of today’s stage 10 when he had a very high-speed crash. Van Beveren was headed to a massive victory in the stage after a lead group of riders including KTM’s Toby Price, Antoine Meo and Honda rider Kevin Benavides got lost in a canyon, dropping nearly 50 minutes in the special. Van Beveren would have been a shoe-in for the overall victory at the conclusion of the stage, but is now out of the race.
It’s all over for Adrien Van Beveren. The Yamaha rider was headed for a commanding victory in stage 10 before a high-speed crash less than two miles from the finish saw him helicoptered out. Photography by Yamalube Yamaha Official
According to the Dakar.com newsfeed, Van Beveren attempted to get up and remount his WR450 Rally, but only made it a few hundred feet before coming to a stop again, remarking that he was “completely groggy and very probably injured.” The following update reported that Van Beveren was helicoptered out, and has suffered a broken collarbone, injured thorax and spine.
Today’s shakeup has dropped four of the top six riders – who this morning were only separated by a 10-minute spread – out of contention for the overall. This likely leaves Red Bull KTM’s Matthias Walkner squarely in the overall lead.
Dakar Rally Stage 10 Report to come…
