Indian Rider, Ashish Raorane is out of Dakar rally at stage 5. Ashish was fighting all odds in a tough, gruelling stage and the condition in which he kept going was beyond human, with a will of steel. But, making a wise choice, he decided to call it a day at the 2021 Dakar Rally. Ashish had a great start in stage 5 with smooth navigation. He progressed quickly through the extremely difficult sections of the stage as he overtook several bikes. This was clear in his preliminary rankings which improved through each waypoint up to #75 at WP (Waypoint) 8. It was in this section that he suffered a crash in the dunes.
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He was thrown off and suffered an impact to his head. But the fighter in him refused to give up. Ashish got up and got going to complete the stage, against all odds.
He had one waypoint to get through, but developed a bad headache and ringing in his ears. Fighting all odds to complete the stage, he realised there was an increased risk of him being hit by other vehicles, if he lost consciousness while riding. Hence, he made a tough, yet wise call to call for medical help, thus concluding his Dakar 2021. He was immediately evacuated in a helicopter to the end of the stage where an ambulance transported him to the nearest hospital. Tests and a CT scan came back as clear. He is conscious with stable vitals and has been in touch with his family. He is currently being sent to a hospital in Ha’il (near the rest day bivouac) where he will be under observation for 24-48 hours in the ICU to relieve him of the pain and help him on his road to full recovery.
What is Malle Moto category?
Ashish Raorane had previously created history by becoming the First Indian ever to compete in the Malle Moto category. Dakar Rally is divided into certain categories, of which, Malle Moto is considered to be the toughest of the lot. The category only includes the rider and his bike. That translates to the fact that the rider has to participate in the rally without any fancy crew to keep the bike in riding conditions and no teammates to share the ups and downs with. It sounds brutal, to say the least, and it is a matter of pride for all of us because Ashish’s entry has made him the first Indian privateer to attempt such a feat.
In the Malle Moto category, the rider is not only in charge of actually riding the bike and navigating on his own through the various stages while trying to stick to the timing but he also has to carry his own gear (including camping material, tools and spare parts), plan for accommodation and food, as well as service the bike and repair it when needed without losing precious time. This usually results in late nights and early mornings, which understandably, takes an additional toll on the competitor. Ashish has been preparing himself for the rally for a long time now and has participated in various international events which were a prerequisite for being considered as a competitor in the 2021 edition of the Dakar Rally.
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We, at Motoroids wish Ashish Raorane the fastest of recoveries.