Kerala's Harith Noah, fastest Indian in Dakar Rally, crashes out with injury

Kerala's Harith Noah, the fastest Indian bike rider in the Dakar Rally, crashed out of the latest edition with a wrist fracture. The organisers reported that Harith suffered a fracture to his left wrist during the prologue and will need surgery.

The Dakar Rally is regarded as the world's toughest cross-country rally. The rally that takes place in the desert of Saudi Arabia consists of 14 days of racing, covering almost 8,000 kilometres, including more than 5,000 km in specials.

Pitlane Motor reported that Harith lost control of his bike during a technical manoeuvre during the 29-km prologue race near Bisha.

Harith created history last year by becoming the first Indian to win the Rally 2 category of the Dakar Rally. In the 2024 edition, Harith was placed in the top-11, achieving the best finish by an Indian.

The native of Shoranur, who races for Sherco Rally Factory, made his Dakar debut in 2020, competing in the Dakar Experience category. He suffered a spine injury in one of the editions, but made a remarkable comeback to clinch the Rally 2 title last year.