Argentine motorcyclist Jorge Martinez Boero has died after being involved in an accident on the first day of the Dakar Rally.
The 38-year-old fell on the stage between Mar del Plata and Santa Rosa de la Pampa in Argentina.
Police said Martinez Boero, who was competing in the event for the second time, died en route to hospital.
In its 33rd year, the Dakar Rally is considered one of the most dangerous rallies in the world.
The 2012 route has changed considerably with drivers and riders tasked with a daunting 5,500-mile route starting from Mar del Plata, south of Buenos Aires.
The 465-strong field navigate their way through Argentina and into Chile and Peru before reaching the finish in Lima, the Peruvian capital, on 15 January.
The event was held in Africa but moved to South America in 2009 because of security concerns in Mauritania which forced the cancellation of the 2008 event.