This evening we received a message from the team that Dakar is over for Mirjam Pol. A few kilometers after CP1 in today's stage she crashed hard. "When I went down I felt a snap and knew something was wrong", she said. Another rider pushed the emergency button, and the helicopter came immediately. The doctor decided that the race was over for Mirjam Pol.

At first she did not agree with the decision. She did not want to give up, and wanted to continu her race. In this competition doctors have the final word. With broken ribs you cannot race. Mirjam is brought to the bivouac right now. The team was worried all day as she did not progress on the iritrack.

Tonny Krabbenborg rode with her for a while but had just lost sight of her when the heli passed over him. It turned out to be for Mirjam, and he talked to her before she took off. Henk Hellegers, teammanager, has talked to Mirjam and except for the injury she's fine. The team shares Mirjam's feelings about having to end here, but is happy that nothing worse has happened to her on this tough day.