Luca Manca (born c. 1980) is an Italian motorcycle racer who competes in rally raid events. Manca has won stages of the Rallye des Pharaons in Egypt,[1] and also has competed in the Dakar Rally and Rally d'Italia Sardegna.[2]
On 7 January 2010, near Antofagasta, Chile, Manca was involved in a serious accident. He was approximately 10km (10miles) into the sixth stage of the 2010 Dakar Rally while riding his KTM. He suffered a brain contusion in the accident, and was transferred by helicopter to Hospital del Cobre Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens in Calama, Chile, before being transferred to the neuro-surgical unit of Clínica de la Mutual de Seguridad in Santiago, Chile.[3] This came a day after Manca had generously surrendered his rear wheel to defending champion Marc Coma when his fellow KTM rider's tire burst.[4] Manca was placed in an induced coma and on a ventilator.[5] By 15 January 2010 Manca was breathing on his own and speaking with family members.