Dutch Club Team Racer Arnold Staal Has Died At The 2021 ISDE

He was unaccounted for at a checkpoint on Day Two.

By: Janaki Jitchotvisut

Sep 3, 2021 at 12:00pm ET

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Dutch rider Arnold Stall was pronounced dead during the second day of the 2021 International Six Days Enduro in Italy. He was a member of the MCCZ Club Team, and had been competing as rider number 901 in the Club Team Category. The cause of death wasn’t a crash, and is most certainly a tragedy for friends, family, and all who knew him.

According to multiple news reports, Staal never reached the checkpoint at Bagnaria, which was the fourth test planned that day. The Dutch Motorcycle Federation then told ISDE organizers that Staal was unaccounted for, so they sent out search teams to locate him. By the time that Staal was located sometime after 8 p.m., he was already dead and found next to his KTM.

The location where he was found was extremely difficult to access other than by motorbike or on foot, which hindered the search effort. This may be unsurprising given the fact that it’s an enduro event, but was still a factor here. Most reports speculate that Staal suffered some sudden illness or health issue while riding, that caused him to lose control of his bike. However, a specific cause of death has not been made public.

The FIM and other ISDE organizers issued an official statement regarding Staal’s death on August 31, 2021. The event itself has since continued, with the other international competitors working to complete the challenges set over the multi-day course of the event.

The ISDE has called the Club Team Competition “the heart of the ISDE,” and emphasized the fact that a total of 163 teams are competing in this year’s challenges. The passion shared among teammates of similar abilities cannot be overstated. We at RideApart extend our condolences to his family, friends, teammates, and all whose lives were touched by this rider.

Sources: FIM ISDE, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere della Sera, Marca