DIRT NEWS
TOP RIDERS RULED OUT OF ABU DHABI DESERT CHALLENGE
Frontrunners of the FIM Rally Raid World Championship have been forced to withdraw from the season ’ s second event due to injury . Both reigning world champion Sam Sunderland and freshly crowned Dakar champion Kevin Benevides withdrew from the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge ( ADDC ) - which serves as the second round of the world championship - ahead of the event after sustaining injuries in the leadup to the February 25 - March 3 event .
Curiously , both riders suffered breaks to their right legs . Benevides broke his right femur after crashing during a pre-race shakedown , while Sunderland similarly suffered a break to his lower tibia . Benavides was ultimately airlifted to the Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai , where his injury was confirmed , and initial neurovascular assessments found no major damage to the blood vessels or nerves . After a surgery that lasted for just over two hours on February 23 , Benevides ’ doctors were pleased with the
96 KIWI RIDER