AUSTRALIA motorcyclist Andy Caldecott has been killed in a crash during the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally. He was 41. KTM rider Caldecott, who won the third stage from Nador to Er Rachidia in Morocco last Monday, sustained a fatal neck injury at the 250km point of the 599km stage between Nouakchott and here overnight. Caldecott, married with one child, owned a motorcycle shop in Keith, South Australia. Sixth in last year's race, Caldecott became the 23rd competitor to die in the event since it started 28 years ago. Last year two motorcyclists died - Spain's Juan Manuel Perez and Italy's Fabrizio Meoni. The death of such an experienced rider - he was a four-time winner of the Australian Safari and won three Dakar stages - will further increase calls for improved equipment to give better protection of the neck area. "We learned at 11:57 GMT (11:57pm AEDT) of the death of Andy Caldecott who fell after 250km," said race director Etienne Lavigne. "He probably died instantly. We learned of the accident at 11:31 and the helicopter landed at 11:55. His death was confirmed at 11:57. Obviously his family have been informed." Caldecott had not been scheduled to compete in this year's race but was called in to replace Spaain's Jordi Duran, who pulled out injured last month. Lavigne added: "All I know is that he died of a neck injury. Following last year's race we introduced more security measures, including imposing a speed limit. Unfortunately fatal accidents can happen even at moderate speeds." On the possibility of better protection for the neck area, Lavigne said: "We had already seriously considered this type of equipment for all the riders provided they had been tested properly," adding two systems currently being studied have still not been ratified after laboratory tests. "We even asked KTM to get their riders to wear new equipment during the Dubai rally but the riders' opinion was that it needed to be improved, saying it wasn't practical because it restricted the movement of the head. It was too rigid." Eric Bernard, director of Cyril Despres' team, said efforts should still be made to introduce the equipment. "Any new equipment will initially hamper the riders as was the case when helmets and knee protection were brought in and which everybody still wears today," he said. KTM's Spanish team director, Jordi Arcarons, told France radio: "This is really difficult to accept and there needs to be more protection for riders but it is too late for Andy. "We will have to speak with the riders to help them deal with the situation but you can't change what has already happened and there is always a risk in an event like this." Another KTM driver, Spaniard Isidre Esteve, who was second overall, suffered two crashes and was taken by helicopter to a medical centre. "He appears to be injured but his days are not in danger," organisers said. French title holder Cyril Despres of France clinched his second stage win in the bikes race beating Spaniard Marc Coma by 4mins 47secs. Coma retains a 22min 47sec lead over Despres in the overall standings with Italy's Giovanni Sala third. All three are on KTM bikes.
