French motorcyclist Thomas Bourgin killed in Dakar Rally after colliding with police car

In this Jan. 6, 2013 photo, KTM rider Thomas Bourgin of France competes in the 1st stage of the 2013 Dakar Rally near Pisco, Peru. Bourgin died on Jan. 11, 2013 in an accident during the 7th stage of the Dakar Rally between Calama, Chile, and Salta, Argentina. / AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano

SANTIAGO, Chile French motorcyclist Thomas Bourgin has been killed in the Dakar Rally when he collided with a Chilean police car.

Race officials say the incident occurred as Bourgin was travelling from Calama on the Chilean side of the Andes to the start of the seventh stage in Argentina on Friday. They say the police car was going in the opposite direction.

He was 25.

Bourgin was in 68th place in his first Dakar Rally.

He's the third person to be killed this week in connection with the rally, after two people died when their taxi collided with a Dakar Rally support vehicle late Wednesday in Peru, near the border with Chile.