Update: Carles Falcon, who crashed heavily on the second stage of this year’s Dakar Rally, is back home in Spain – “Condition still critical “
New update on Carles Falcon: The motorcyclist who crashed badly on the second stage of this year’s Dakar Rally has now been taken to his Spanish home. “He is in intensive care and his condition is still critical,” the TwinTrail Racing Team announced in a statement.
“The doctors will perform new tests as per protocol,” the statement continued. “His family and friends thank you for all the messages of support received. We will continue to be in touch if there is any news.”
Falcon had crashed heavily on the second stage from Al-Henakiyah to Ad-Dawadimi on his TwinTrail Team KTM from the Rally2 class. Within a few minutes, a helicopter with emergency doctors was on site, who found the Spaniard without a pulse. He was then resuscitated and flown by helicopter to the hospital in Ad-Dawadimi.
There it was discovered that Falcon had suffered numerous fractures, including five ribs, his left wrist and his collarbone. The fracture of a cervical vertebra caused cerebral edema, which is apparently currently causing the greatest difficulties. He was put into an induced coma after the accident and is still in it.
The TwinTrail Racing team members have now also decided to return home. Isaac Feliu in particular, a good friend of Falcon’s who encouraged him to take part in this year’s Dakar Rally, has been hit hard by his team-mate’s accident.
KTM rider Falcon had already competed in the desert rally in 2022 and finished 16th in the “Original by Motul” classification, in which the riders have to complete the stages and repair their motorcycles themselves. The Spaniard finished 68th in the overall standings.
At the halfway point of the 2024 Dakar Rally, Ricky Brabec (Honda) leads the overall standings, followed by Hero rider Ross Branch. Things did not go as planned for the KTM riders in the first week: Kevin Benavides, who won last year’s Dakar Rally, is in sixth place after the sixth of twelve stages, although he is just under 30 minutes off the lead.
