Quote Originally Posted by Paul in NZ
Aw crap!

This man was (to me) almost the Joey Dunlop of this kind of mad off road riding! Fabrizio Meoni. I liked his attitude, and that he was about my age and at that ripe old age he competed in one of the toughest events ever!

Meoni was 47 and died today in the Dakar Rally. He won it all in 2001 and 2002. He was in second overall this year. He was an amazing rider and was apparently a very nice man. He had no problem telling it like it is or making a joke. He would have won last year but he went so fast (on a bike no one else could handle) that he literally melted his rear tire. Twice.

RIP dude! One of the greats!

Paul N

http://www.dakar.com/2005/us/index.html
Gotta have brass nuts to do that on a bike. I watched the highlights from the last rally and they all had their own problams esp Colin McRae...