KTM factory rider Sam Sunderland has been forced to retire from the Dakar Rally after a crash left him with a shoulder and collarbone injury.

The 25-year-old crashed just past the 40-mile mark on stage four, a 565-mile-long stage that runs from Chilecito in Argentina to Copiapó in northern Chile.

Sunderland was airlifted to a local hospital after fellow KTM rider Ivan Jakes stopped to check on him before continuing his race.

After leading the first day of the rally by five seconds, the British rider got lost just before waypoint 12 of the second stage. His navigation error put him in 72nd position, over two hours behind stage two leader Joan Barreda. 

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