Hero MotoSports' Bengaluru-based rider CS Santosh got knocked out of the 2021 Dakar Rally following a crash late in Stage 4. The 37-year-old suffered an impact on his head but seemed conscious and stable when the medics arrived at the scene.
He was later shifted to a hospital in Riyadh. Later it was reported that he has sustained no physical injuries. However, due to an impact on the helmet, he has a minor clot in the head and has been kept under observation for 24 hours.
In an unfortunate incident, @cs_santosh22 suffered a crash in Stage 4 of #Dakar2021 today. He has been taken to a hospital in Riyadh. In the initial assessment, he seems stable.Join us in wishing him a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/ePbtRIsBcT
— Hero MotoSports (@hero_motosports) January 6, 2021
Before the crash, the Hero MotoSports rider was making steady progress. Starting the year with a P43 finish in Stage 1, he made up significant places in each stage. He was placed 34th in the overall standings at the start of Stage 4.
However, it was a good day for Hero's top rider Joaquim Rodrigues, as he managed to break into the top 10, finishing Stage 4 in sixth place and 16th in the overall rankings.
Meanwhile, at the end of Stage 4, Indian Privateer, Harith Noah slipped down to 68th and is now placed 36th in the general standings. On the other hand, Pune's Ashish Raorane showed progress as he moved up to 75th place at the end of the stage. In the general standings, he has moved up to P80. In the Malle Moto class, Raorane has moved up a rank and is now placed 19th.
The Dakar Rally now moves to Buraydah, the capital of Al-Qassim Region in northcentral Saudi Arabia in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula. Now this stage of the race is touted to be the toughest of the entire rally, running for a total of 624km including 419km of timed special.