Ahola dies from training accident
Mika Ahola, five-time and reigning world enduro champion, died at the weekend in a Barcelona hospital, the sport's governing body in
Finland said on Monday, amid reports that the 37-year-old had died of injuries suffered during training.
"According to information received by the Finnish Motor Sport Association, enduro world champion Mika Ahola has passed away,"
read the brief statement posted on the group's web site late Monday, providing no further details.
Finnish public broadcaster YLE however reported that Ahola, who had announced his retirement from enduro racing on 1 January, had died on
Sunday evening in Barcelona, Spain, where he was being treated for internal injuries. According to reports, he suffered the injuries when he
crashed during casual training in Girona, Spain a few weeks ago.
Ahola was also a seven-time winner of the International Six-Day Enduro world trophy with the Finnish team.
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run predominantly on off-road routes. The World Enduro Championship features a number of stages
raced against the clock in a time trial.