Legend of national rally, Juca Bala crashes and leaves the Sertões International Rally

Straight from Palmas (TO) - In his 17th participation in Sertões International Rally, legend of national off-road, Juca Bala, suffered a serious accident on the stage today (15), from the cities of Dianópolis to Palmas (TO).

After falling into a hole, the rider was rescued by the land medical team and transferred to Hospital Geral de Palmas by the race’s medical helicopter.

"Initially he had a major pain on his left shoulder with a deformity and pain in his spine. We immobilized him, gave him pain medication and put him in the helicopter", said Dr. Marcelo Teixeira, one the responsible for examining the rider.

"At the hospital, fracture-dislocation was diagnosed in the humerus, and a small fracture on the radio. Since the ultrasound was broken, they only did the X-ray. They chose to take him to the Surgery Center to try to put the shoulder in place" explained the doctor.

Yet tonight, Juca Bala will undergo a surgery to put the shoulder in place. "If everything goes fine in the procedure, they will immobilize him, and put it on a plane to São Paulo, where he will undergo surgery with his doctor", he explains.

More abandonments - The driver Eduardo D'Agostini Martins was also rescued by the race’s medical team on Sunday. "He had a trauma in the spine without neurological damage and is doing a tomography. Unfortunately he is out of the race", said Dr. Clemar Correa.