Motorbike Rider Is 33rd to Die in Iconic Dakar Race

Spanish motorbiker Carles Falcon has become the latest person to lose their life in the iconic Dakar Rally race. The Twin Trail racing team announced the 45-year-old's death on Monday, more than a week after he crashed and was airlifted to a hospital, CNN reports. "The medical team has confirmed that the neurological damage caused by the cardiorespiratory arrest at the time of the accident is irreversible, the team said in an Instagram post. "Carles was a smiling person, always active, who passionately enjoyed everything he did, especially motorbikes," the team said. "He has left us doing something that was his dream, racing the Dakar."

The off-road endurance race, once known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, was being held in Saudi Arabia for the fifth time and measured more than 4,900 miles in length. Falcon was taken to a hospital in Riyadh and then home to Spain after the crash, which happened 278 miles into the second leg of the race. He had been in an induced coma since he was hospitalized. Falcon, who worked as an IT engineer, was taking part in the race for the second time, competing in the unassisted bikers category. Reuters reports that he is the 33rd competitor to die since the race began in 1978. (More racing stories.)