Luca Manca

Italian motorcycle racer

Luca Manca (born c. 1980[1]) is an Italian motorcycle racer who competes in rally raid events. Manca has won stages of the Rallye des Pharaons in Egypt,[2] and also has competed in the Dakar Rally and Rally d'Italia Sardegna.[3]

On 7 January 2010, near Antofagasta, Chile, Manca was involved in a serious accident. He was approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) into the sixth stage of the 2010 Dakar Rally while riding his KTM. He suffered a brain contusion in the accident, and was transferred by helicopter to Hospital del Cobre Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens in Calama, Chile, before being transferred to the neuro-surgical unit of Clínica de la Mutual de Seguridad in Santiago, Chile.[4] This came a day after Manca had generously surrendered his rear wheel to defending champion Marc Coma when his fellow KTM rider's tire burst.[5] Manca was placed in an induced coma and on a ventilator.[1] By 15 January 2010 Manca was breathing on his own and speaking with family members.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Injured Dakar rider Manca breathing on his own". Associated Press. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  2. ^ "Pharaons: Series stage 7 summary". motosport.com. 2009-10-10. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  3. ^ "Sardegna Rally Race: And the winner is... Cyril Despres". motocorse.com. 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
  4. ^ "Serious accident on Stage 6, Antofagasta – Iquique". Dakar Rally. Amaury Sport Organisation. 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2010-01-07.
  5. ^ "Italian rider Manca badly hurt in Chile Dakar fall". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2010-01-07.