Luca Manca (born c. 1980 [1] ) is an Italian motorcycle racer who competes in rally raid events. Manca has won stages of the Rallye des Pharaons in Egypt, [2] and also has competed in the Dakar Rally and Rally d'Italia Sardegna. [3]
The Italians are a Romance ethnic group and nation native to the Italian peninsula and its neighbouring insular territories. Most Italians share a common culture, history, ancestry or language. Legally, all Italian nationals are citizens of the Italian Republic, regardless of ancestry or nation of residence and may be distinguished from people of Italian descent without Italian citizenship and from ethnic Italians living in territories adjacent to the Italian Peninsula without Italian citizenship. The majority of Italian nationals are speakers of Italian, or a regional variety thereof. However, many of them also speak another regional or minority language native to Italy; although there is disagreement on the total number, according to UNESCO there are approximately 30 languages native to Italy.
Rally raid, also known as cross-country rallying, is a form of long distance off-road racing that takes place over several days. The length of the event can be as short as 2-3 days for a cross-country baja to as long as 15 days with marathon rallies like the Dakar Rally; with other cross-country rally events lasting 4-5 days. With skill in navigation being key, the driving skill and endurance of riders, drivers, co-drivers, and machines are put to the test. The total distance covered can be anywhere between 600km to over 5000km with terrain ranging from sandy dunes, forest roads, mountain roads, and dry river beds; among others.
The Rallye des Pharaons is a rally-raid event that takes place in Egypt. Cairo is both the starting and finishing point at the foot of the pyramids of Giza, and covers roughly around 3,100 kilometres (1,900 mi). It is similar in format to the Dakar Rally in that it takes place in desert conditions and cars, trucks, and motorcycles are all permitted to compete.
On January 7, 2010 near Antofagasta, Chile, Manca was involved in a serious accident. He was approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) into the sixth stage of the 2010 Dakar Rally while riding his KTM. He suffered a brain contusion in the accident, and was transferred by helicopter to Hospital del Cobre Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens in Calama, Chile, before being transferred to the neuro-surgical unit of Clínica de la Mutual de Seguridad in Santiago, Chile. [4] This came a day after Manca had generously surrendered his rear wheel to defending champion Marc Coma when his fellow KTM rider's tire burst. [5] Manca was placed in an induced coma and on a ventilator. [1] By January 15, 2010, Manca was breathing on his own and speaking with family members. [1]
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a South American country occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island in Oceania. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.
The 2010 Dakar Rally was the 32nd running of the event. It was held in South America for the second successive time, and ran from 1 to 16 January. The Amaury Sport Organisation and the governments of Argentina and Chile agreed to a return to South America for the event in February 2009.
KTM AG is an Austrian motorcycle and sports car manufacturer owned by KTM Industries AG and Indian manufacturer Bajaj Auto. It was formed in 1992 but traces its foundation to as early as 1934. Today, KTM AG is the parent company of the KTM Group.
