translated from Spanish: Pablo Quintanilla and Goncalves’ death: “It’s the most painful day of my career”

Chilean rider Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) exteriorized his sadness on Sunday at the passing of Portuguese Paulo Goncalves, aged 40, during the seventh stage of the Dakar 2020 motorcycle scategory in Saudi Arabia.The member of the am Hero probably hit himself very the head when he fell from the bike at kilometer 276 of the stage, which today joined Riyadh with Wadi Al-Dawasir (546 kms. special). Australian Toby Price (KTM) and Argentine Kevin Benavides (Honda) found him on the floor and breathlessly to the former world rally champion and tried to revive him, until the race’s medical helicopter arrived. Unfortunately, the emergency procedures were unsuccessful. After learning the unfortunate news, Quintanilla stated “that greater sorrow I feel at this moment, is undoubtedly the most difficult and painful day since I practiced this sport. Paulo Goncalves was a warrior, an example to follow as a person and a great friend. His spirit will remain forever in the hearts of all pilots and in our sport.” It’s hard to analyze the stage, my head and my emotions are elsewhere right now. I did my job in a very long and very complicated one, I kept the position in the general and with that I stay,” he added. The eighth stage will be an extensive desert tour near Wadi Al-Dawasir, and will have 474 kms of selective sector.

Original source in Spanish