Dakar 2019: Toby Price, the first to arrive at Paulo Gonalves: “I tried to do everything possible to respond”

“I'm glad we were with him as long as possible. I remember that in 2017 he stopped when I broke my leg to try to comfort myself.”

• Dakar
  

  The pilot Paulo Gonalves dies in a stage “too fast”
  

• Alonso
  

  One step away from his first stage victory
  

Toby Price was the first to arrive at Paulo Gonalves when the Portuguese suffered the fatal accident this Sunday, at kilometer 276 of the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally. The last test winner tried to promptly alert medical assistants, but unfortunately, they could not do anything to save the pilot's life.

“It was a fast ride on an open plateau, gas at full speed. It's the GPS alarm, I looked up and saw a black spot in the distance. It's never good, because we were driving so fast. I arrived there and I saw Paulo on the ground. I understood immediately that he was serious. I tried to do everything possible, to revive him to respond, “describes the Australian in an AFP interview.” We call the helicopters and the race management as quickly as possible. I tried to put it aside, because his back had probably suffered damage. We continued to ask for help and were told that the helicopter was arriving. We continue to check your vital organs. Unfortunately, we didn't get an answer, “admits Price.

The KTM pilot also spoke about the policy of the excessive speed of the stage between Riyadh and Wadi Al Dawasair. “It is true that this special was very fast, it ran at 120 km / h on average. When we drive at these speeds, it is difficult to look away from the track, look at the road book to verify that you are making the right decision,” I pronounced, although I acknowledged that “it is no one's fault”. “When it's your time, it's your time. Unfortunately, yesterday (Sunday) was Paulo's day. I'm glad we were with him as long as possible. I remember that in 2017 he stopped when I broke my leg to try to comfort myself.” , continue.

“Everyone respected him very much, I was always smiling, always happy in the camp. We know the risks we run, we just wait and pray that nothing happens to us, “says Price about Gonalves.” Every day when we get on our motorcycles, we know that we are risking our lives, “he concluded.