Price will need surgery after Dakar crash

Toby Price, one of the tough guys of Australian sport, says he’s broken his 30th bone in the crash that ended his hopes of a third Dakar Rally motorcycle title.

Yet the 33-year-old Gold Coast ace was still able to laugh off the injuries that will require him to undergo surgery as he tweeted a picture of himself offering a victory sign from his hospital bed in Saudi Arabia.

Price crashed out in the desert on Tuesday, suffering a concussion as well as injuries to his collarbone, shoulder and hand, and had to airlifted by helicopter to a hospital.

He had been lying in second place in the race at the time as he still fancied his chances of lifting the title that he won in both 2016 and 2019.

After being treated in hospital in Tabuk, Price reported in a Tweet that he felt he had let down his Red Bull factory KTM team.

“Finally broken my 30th bone!” he said.

“I don’t remember much but I’ve got a pretty sore collarbone, shoulder and hand and will need surgery for that.

“Disappointed to not make the finish and let down the team and my sponsors but that’s racing unfortunately this time around.”

Price wanted to thank fellow Dakar challengers, Briton Sam Sunderland and defending champion Ricky Brabec, who stopped to help him after his crash when he was completely disoriented.

“Thank you @Sundersam and @rickyB357 for stopping to help me, I was off with the fairies that day but I heard you took good care of me!” he tweeted.

The race continued without Price on Wednesday, and there was more drama as overnight leader Jose Ignacio Cornejo also crashed and had to retire on medical grounds after suffering concussion with just two stages to go.

The contest now looks a straight head-to-head between Brabec and his Honda teammate Kevin Benavides, with the Argentine holding a 51-second advantage.

Another Ausyralian KTM rider Daniel Sanders continued his fine Dakar debut by holding on to sixth place, nearly 31 minutes behind Benavides.

Meanwhile, French veteran Stephane Peterhansel was heading for a record-extending 14th Dakar car title after ending the 10th stage with a 17-minute advantage over his closest rival Nasser Al-Attiyah.

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