After a embellished decade in rally raid, Sam Sunderland is hanging up his helmet. On Wednesday, Sunderland confirmed his retirement from skilled bike racing, ending a profession that noticed him win the Dakar Rally twice and the inaugural World Rally-Raid Championship.
Sunderland had struggled with medical snags in recent times. His remaining rally, the Desafío Ruta 40 in June, ended after three levels on account of blurred imaginative and prescient in his eyes. The identical ailment compelled him to exit the 2023 Rallye du Maroc, ending a disappointing marketing campaign that was purported to be his Dakar and W2RC title defence. His hopes of a Dakar repeat that 12 months have been crushed by damaged shoulder after crashing on the Dakar’s first leg, when he broke his ankle in a testing accident the day earlier than the Abu Dhabi Desert Problem.
“It’s with gratitude, humility, a little bit of unhappiness, however with out remorse, that I announce my retirement from motorbike racing after having a profession that I dreamed of as soon as upon a time,” mentioned Sunderland. “From profitable two world championships to my two Dakar victories, it’s been an unimaginable run. I want to thank everybody that has been part of this chapter and I’m trying ahead to staying near the crew and taking part in an element in supporting their race efforts sooner or later.”
A Briton who lives in Dubai, he broke into cross-country rally in 2009 after his motocross profession was halted by damage. After excelling within the United Arab Emirates’ nationwide championship and starring on the Abu Dhabi Desert Problem, he made his Dakar début in 2012. He notched his first stage win two years later as a member of Honda’s manufacturing facility rally raid programme earlier than becoming a member of KTM’s crew later in 2014. In 2017, he grew to become the primary British competitor to win the Dakar.
Sunderland’s luck was up and down on the Dakar. He reached the tip simply 4 of 11 occasions, however these finishes noticed him win in 2017 and 2022 and place third in 2019 and 2021. Following his 2022 victory, he retired from his two remaining Dakars, with the 2024 version ending on account of a mechanical concern in Stage #3.
He switched to Crimson Bull GasGas Manufacturing unit Racing in 2022. After profitable the Dakar, he claimed one other win on the ADDC en path to securing the inaugural W2RC. He had additionally gained its predecessor, the FIM Cross-Nation Rallies World Championship, with KTM in 2019.
“We want to say a large thanks to Sam for his time with Crimson Bull GasGas Manufacturing unit Racing,” commented crew supervisor Andreas Hölzl. “I communicate for the entire crew after I say we’re unhappy to listen to that Sam is retiring from racing, however we fully respect his determination and thank him for every thing he has completed for us over time. Past being an exceptional racer, Sam is a unbelievable particular person; all the time supportive, motivating, and a real crew participant. He is a large a part of the GasGas household, and we sit up for working with him once more in new and thrilling methods sooner or later.”
With Sunderland’s retirement, GasGas now solely has Daniel Sanders on their rally raid roster. The marque, together with these owned by Pierer Mobility Group like KTM and defending champion Husqvarna, has scaled again their racing price range to chop again on prices and are thus not contesting the total World Championship.
