Carlo de Gavardo facts for kids
 |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality |  Chilean |
| Born | 14 July 1969 Huelquén, Chile |
| Died | 4 July 2015 (aged 45) Buin, Chile |
| World Rally Championship record | |
| Active years | 1986–2010 |
| Teams | KTM,Chevrolet,Hummer |
| First rally | 1986 World Enduro Championship |
| First win | 1986 World Enduro Championship |
| Last win | 2007 Rallye des Pharaons (Diesel-class winner) |
| Last rally | 2010 Dakar Rally |
Carlo Alberto de Gavardo Prohens (born July 14, 1969 – died July 4, 2015) was a famous Chilean racer. He competed in many rallies around the world. These included the tough Dakar Rally and the Rallye des Pharaons. He was the first Chilean motorcyclist to finish the entire Paris-Dakar race.
Contents
About Carlo de Gavardo
Starting as a Racer
Carlo de Gavardo went to school in Santiago, Chile. While he was still a student, he started racing motorcycles. He quickly became very good. He won the Chilean Enduro National Championship almost every year from 1986 to 1994.
In 1993, Carlo started racing internationally. He competed in the Enduro World Championship in Oklahoma, USA. This made him even more excited about racing. In 1996, he took on the famous Paris-Dakar Rally. He was the first Chilean to complete this very long and difficult race. He finished in a great 17th place. Carlo raced in the Dakar Rally every year from 1996 to 2004. His best result was third place in 2001.
His Racing Wins
Carlo de Gavardo became well-known around the world for his amazing motorcycle skills. In 1997, he finished fourth in the Master Rallye, which went from Paris to Moscow to Beijing.
He won the Rallye World Cup of the International Motorcycling Federation three times: in 2001, 2004, and 2005. He also became the World Motorcycling Champion in the 450 cc category in both 2004 and 2005.
Carlo raced in many other famous rallies too. These included the Atlas Rally, Two Sertoes, Pharaohs Rally in Egypt, Dubai Rally, and the Morocco Rally.
| Year | Championship | Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| 1986–1993 | Enduro Championship | Champion |
| 1994 | Enduro World Championship | Bronze Medal |
| 1996 | Paris-Dakar Rallye | First Chilean Motorcyclist to finish |
| 1996 | International Olympic Committee | Fair Play Award |
| 1997 | Master Rallye Paris-Moscow-Beijing | Fourth Place |
| 2001 | Paris-Dakar Rallye | Third Place |
| 2004–2005 | Motorcycling Championship | World Champion (450cc category) |
| 2006 | Paris-Lisboa Rally | Fifth Place |
| 2007 | Pharaohs Rally | Seventh Place, First Place Diesel Category |
Fair Play Awards
Carlo de Gavardo was known for his good sportsmanship. He received two "fair play" awards. One was from the IOC. The other was from the International Motorcycling Federation.
He also worked with the Chilean Police. They wanted to help reduce motorcycle accidents. They created courses across Chile to teach motorcycle owners about safety and careful driving.
Switching from Bikes to Cars
Many motorcycle racers, like Stéphane Peterhansel, eventually switch to racing cars. Carlo de Gavardo decided to do the same. He announced he would stop racing motorcycles to compete in larger vehicles. He started racing cars in 2008. In 2009, he raced in the Dakar Rally with a Hummer. This change was a big step for the famous Chilean racer.
His Passing
Carlo de Gavardo sadly passed away on July 4, 2015. He had a heart attack while riding his bike in Huelquen, near Buin.
See also
In Spanish: Carlo de Gavardo para niños
