Eric Palante
| Eric Palante | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Born | January 21, 1963 Vaux-sous-Chèvremont, Liège, Belgium |
| Died | January 9, 2014 (aged 50) near Chilecito, La Rioja Province, Argentina |
Eric Palante (21 January 1963 – 9 January 2014) was a Belgian motorcycle rally raid competitor best known for his multiple entries in the Dakar Rally. He took part in the event eleven times, competing most recently in 2014 as a privateer on a Honda CRF450X in the no-assistance "malle-moto" (now Original by Motul) category; his best overall Dakar finish was 66th, in 2012.[1][2][3]
Palante died during the 2014 event on Stage 5, between Chilecito and San Miguel de Tucumán in Argentina. Organisers reported that no distress alert had been received, and a subsequent autopsy in Argentina found he died of intense hyperthermia.[4][5][6]
Early life and career
Palante was born in the Liège suburb of Vaux-sous-Chèvremont.[7] Based later in Jeneffe, he trained as a secondary-school teacher before founding an industrial cleaning/facility services business in the Liège.[8]
Rally raid and Dakar career
Palante first contested the Dakar Rally in the early 2000s and returned regularly as a privateer. By 2014 he was taking part for the eleventh time; organisers described him as an experienced entrant who “knew the race very well”.[9] Competing without a support crew in the malle-moto classification, his stated goal in 2014 was to win that category.[10] His best overall finish came in 2012, when he placed 66th among the motorcycle competitors.[11][12]
Personal life
Palante was married and the father of five children. Outside competition he ran a facilities/industrial cleaning company in the Liège region.[13]
Legacy
Tributes were paid in Belgium following his death. A public ceremony was held in Liège and his home commune of Donceel observed a minute’s silence at the 30 January 2014 council meeting.[14][15]
References
- ^ Peltz, Jim (10 January 2014). "Belgian motorcycle rider Eric Palante found dead at Dakar Rally". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Chung, Dennis (10 January 2014). "Dakar Racer Eric Palante Found Dead". Motorcycle.com. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Caradisiac.com (16 January 2012). "Dakar 2012 : Les classements moto et quad". Caradisiac.com (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "3 deaths overshadow action at Dakar Rally". ESPN.com. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Le Belge Eric Palante perd la vie sur le Dakar - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "'Eric Palante a succombé suite à une hyperthermie intense' - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Palante : La commune de Donceel anéantie - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Palante : La commune de Donceel anéantie - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Peltz, Jim (10 January 2014). "Belgian motorcycle rider Eric Palante found dead at Dakar Rally". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Le Belge Eric Palante perd la vie sur le Dakar - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Chung, Dennis (10 January 2014). "Dakar Racer Eric Palante Found Dead". Motorcycle.com. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ Caradisiac.com (16 January 2012). "Dakar 2012 : Les classements moto et quad". Caradisiac.com (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Palante : La commune de Donceel anéantie - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Cérémonie d'hommage au motard Eric Palante mercredi à Liège". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.
- ^ "Le corps d'Eric Palante devrait être rapatrié samedi soir - RTBF Actus". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 2 August 2025.