Dakar Rookies
"Give Me A Challenge & I'll See If I Can Fulfil It"
R
egarded as the toughest of all motorsport events,
the Dakar often strikes fear into competitors,
amazement from spectators and awe from a
worldwide viewing audience of over 3 million
every day that the event is run.
Taking on the gruelling event as a ‘rookie’ is
often seen as madness, many fail at their first attempt;
some through mechanical issues others through physical
pain, damage or exhaustion. Many veterans fail to finish
the Dakar, finishing it as a ‘rookie’ is something extreme-
ly special.
The 2019 Dakar held, between January 6 and 17, in the
vast sand dunes of Peru was one of the toughest, many
competitors forewent the challenge while others saw it
as an opportunity to take on the world’s best and ‘win’.
Australia’s Toby Price, a former winner of the event,
revelled and took his second victory, while veteran Aus-
tralian racer, Rodney Faggotter, entering his fifth Dakar
was unfortunate not to finish. As the two factory riders,
well supported and financed, raced at the front three
other Australian riders took part as ‘rookies’, in very dif-
ferent, yet similar, classes … and ‘won’.
Pic: Charly Lopez / ASO
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