Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm 2018: CS Santosh Crashes Out Of Stage 3

Hero MotoSports Team Rally rider CS Santosh has crashed out of the 2018 Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm rally. The fastest Indian rally rider was leading Stage 3 in the motorcycle category when he crashed and injured his neck. As a result, the Indian team decided to pull Santosh out of the rally as a precautionary measure. CS Santosh was the only rider from Hero MotoSports team and was leading Desert Storm at the end of Stage 2. The ace rider was leading with a gap of 10 minutes over his closest competitor when the unfortunate crash occurred, but managed to bring the bike to the stage finish despite the pain.

Commenting on the crash, CS Santosh said, "I was doing really well today prior to the crash. There was a lot of dust around and the visibility was not good. I could not spot a sand bank that suddenly appeared and I crashed quite hard. There is a sharp pain in my neck and movement is very restricted. We have decided to not risk it further so we are pulling out of the rally now. I am sorry and disappointed that I could not make it to the finish line for my team and the fans. But I promise that I will come back stronger, very soon."

The initial assessments from the on-ground team of doctors have shown no signs of a major injury, but Santosh will need to undergo a detailed evaluation. He will be moving to Bengaluru, his home city soon, where further scans and treatment will be performed.

Speaking on Santosh's performance and crash, Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, "As we all know, rally sport is very unpredictable. One moment can change the fortunes of the team. Today was one such moment for us. Santosh was leading the rally so far with a healthy time gap over the closest opponent, but today's unfortunate crash has forced us to pull out from the rally. Rider safety is a top priority for us and our decision to withdraw from the rally is in line with that. For now we are working to get Santosh back to home where he will undergo some tests and then follow the course of treatment. We are really sorry that we could not finish the rally for all our fans and supporters but we will comeback with full force soon. We wish CS a speedy recovery."

Santosh has proved his mettle on two-wheels time and again, especially having finished the gruelling Dakar rally three out of four times in his career. In the 2018 edition, the Indian rider finished 34th overall, marking a career best finish.