one off the worlds best driver did die today during the Paris-Dakar rally :(

Meoni crashed on the shortened 400km leg between Atar and Kiffa in Mauritania.
The incident occurred nine minutes after refuelling, at 185km, a point marked on the map with one danger exclamation mark because of its undulations.
Race director Etienne Lavigne said: "He fell after checkpoint one at 10:15 (local time, 11:15CET). We sent a helicopter, which arrived at 10:36. His heart had stopped when we found him. Unfortunately, 45 minutes of resuscitation could not restart it."
He added: "We loved him deeply, it was someone who had had a big impact on the Dakar. He was a great guy, who loved a laugh. We're deeply saddened by this news.
His body was flown back to the race bivouac in Atar.
Meoni - who becomes the 22nd person to be killed in the race's 27-year history - had announced at the start line in Barcelona that this, his 13th Dakar, would be his last.


http://www.motocross.it/sito/htm/fest03/meoni.jpg
http://blog.schee.info/archives/2641_18e2673d3fac31_m.jpg


link
http://www.eurosport.com/home/pages/v4/l0/s239/e6746/sport_lng0_spo239_evt6746_sto673931.shtm l

Rest in peace, good buddy. Every motorcycle rider in the Dakar is my hero for putting up with all that the Dakar throws at them. Fabrizio is no exception, and he will go down in history as one of the greatest riders the Dakar has ever seen.

That's too bad, may he rest in peace. I didn't know him, but I'm always saddened when I learn that a race driver (or rider) dies.

That wasn't the first time he announced to quitting dakar. This race seems like a drug for those men, a hard and dangerous one.

its always a shame to see someone dieing in motorsport, but atleast there is one consolation, its what he loved doing best, isnt that the best way to go?

It does seem like the Dakar is a drug, many people return year after year to better there time, to beat their competitors, and unlie other motorsport, there are virtually no driver changes between seasons, they mostly stick with their teams (VW, Nissan Mitsubishi, BMW) or their private entries, which consist of a huge variety of vehicles both big, huge, small and large! It seems to be a more 'personal' sport, you against the elements and the time, its down to you to get through the day, and its #2 on my 'to do list' in my life (#1 being a successful WRC driver... but i think i can keep dreaming on that)

Thats to bad... the thing that surprises me is that in the article it says he was the 22nd person to die within the 27 years the race has been going on for. Its sad still that they lost his life, but i would want to die the way he did, doing what he loved...

Indeed, very sad:( And it's already the second dead driver this year in Dakar. The amateur driver Perez died a few days ago.

RIP both of you.

RIP, perhaps his family has some comfort in knowing he died doing something he enjoyed, and maybe thats the best way to pass on..............*respect*

Jose Manuel Perez, the Spanish pilot who died the day before meoni, promised his sons this year would be the last dakar for him... Unfortunely that's gona be true.

Thats sad... RIP guys.
Like practically everyone else said at least he went doing something he loved.

Fabrizio Meoni has won Paris-Dakar rally twice and where dreaming of his third Dakar win. he will go down in History as one off the best biker in the Dakar rally
My thought goes to his wife’s and he’s two children

Wasn't he leading the race before he crashed?

Wasn't he leading the race before he crashed?

he was second