Pic: Florent Gooden / DPPI
there’s a comradery that ensures everyone is as safe as
they can be under such conditions and terrain.
“The comradery and team atmosphere amongst the
Original (Malle) class competitors was amazing,” suggest-
ed James. “I broke my map reader scrolling button on
day 2 and a guy I didn’t really know went straight to the
KTM team truck and bought me one and never asked for
a cent.”
James says that he is now lifelong friends with the rival
competitor before he went on to explain another situa-
tion where he required assistance from others.
“I had a fairly big crash on day 5 riding on the liaison
stage at night,” a grimace distorts his face. “I hit some-
thing on the road which sent me cartwheeling down the
highway towards oncoming trucks.”
Relatively unhurt, James says that the accident could
quite easily have been the end of his Dakar yet, help
came from those he was racing against.
“I was able to source the broken parts and was lucky
the crash occurred the night before rest day. I spent my
whole rest day fixing it with the help of other guys that
had already finished working on their bikes.”
A bond formed between the riders. While racing they
all seemed to look out for each, helping to ensure that all
would make it through the tougher sections.
The suggestion of getting help brings a hearty laugh
from John who perhaps had the strangest experience of
the three Australian ‘rookies’.
“There were two cops on bikes giving me an escort
back to Lima,” he continues to laugh. “One started taking
pics of me and the quad while riding his bike! Crazy!
“I did get some help from a few competitors. I ran out
of fuel on day two,” the laughter continuing explaining it’s
a very long story.
“This one guy stopped and gave me some fuel to keep
going. We ended up riding together for a lost one-hour
way point and then caught up again at a petrol station. I
filled his tank for him and we both ended up riding in
really late that night.”
The comradery is an important aspect of the Dakar,
the conditions are often extreme, the landscapes vast, the
chance of becoming exhausted, distressed or in danger
are very real.
“They put us through the worst terrain I have ever rid-
den,” says Ben without emotion.
“It was like racing from 1 pile of shit to the next pile of
shit,” he continued. Still no emotion showing on his face.
“Not much on tracks but mostly Off Piste and either Fesh
Fesh (bulldust) or rocky rutted shit. Seriously if that was
riding off road you would not go off road …”
A slight smile quick turns into an excited grin, “the
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