Roberto Boano, a motocross rider and Honda factory Dakarian, passed away overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. A La Stampa report noted the 76-year-old had been ill for an extended period before being taken to the hospital in Verduno, where he was diagnosed with severe pneumonia.

After starting his career in the discipline in the 1960s, Boano starred in the Italian Motocross Championship and also competed in the World Motocross Championship in the ’70s and ’80s. In 1976, he set up a workshop called Boano Moto workshop that became an official Honda dealer five years later.

The Honda partnership eventually led to him racing its bikes at the Paris–Dakar Rally. He did the race five times, twice as a Honda factory rider, in 1986 (finished 21st overall), 1987 (retired), 1989 (29th), 1991 (11th), and 1998 (38th). The last two starts came on the legendary Honda 750 Africa Twin, which included him crashing at one point and going in the opposite direction before making his way back onto the right path.

His raid experience also included ten Rallyes des Pharaons.

His sons Jarno and Ivan have represented Italy at the International Six Days Enduro and other enduros. The brothers scored a 1–2 for Italy in the 1997 ISDE, with Jarno eventually becoming the owner of TM Boano Factory Team in EnduroGP.

Boao’s wake will be on Thursday and Friday at his dealership before being cremated later on Friday at the Tempio Crematorio di Magliano Alpi.