moved with Toby’s gesture by staying beside our beloved
champion racer Paulo.
“You showed the world, what real champions are
made of. Thank you, Toby Price, thank you Australia.”
It echoed comments around the world. To many, Price
was the Dakar’s moral victor, the events true champion.
But this is the ‘Spirit of Dakar’, in fact Price himself had
been supported by Goncalves just a few years earlier
when the Australian had broken his leg during a fall.
In this edition he’d been helped by a fellow competitor,
American Andrew Short who’d handed over his own rear
wheel to ensure Price made it to the end with a chance of
fighting for victory.
It’s the ‘Spirit of Dakar’ that you stop for a fallen com-
petitor. Australian rider Rodney Faggotter stopped with
fellow Yamaha rider, Jamie McCanney, a few days after
Goncalves’ accident to help fallen rider, Garrett Poucher.
The American broke bones yet managed a smile with
Faggotter a few days later. It’s the ‘Spirit of Dakar’.
Dakar 2020 cancelled stage 8 for the motorcycles and
quads in honour of rider number 8, a fitting tribute and
mark of respect, appreciated by all.
Price came back for stage 9, ‘Racing For Speedy’, never
giving up, feeling it was the least he could do and like a
champion he never did give up.
“Obviously, it’s been a really tough day mentally but
we’re still cruising along in the race and the main goal
as always is to make it safely to the finish line,” he ex-
plained. But perhaps emotionally his Dakar was over.
Honda went on to win with Brabec at the helm, a com-
fortable win, over 16 minutes ahead of Quintanilla. The
first American, the first for Honda for over 30 years, the
first in Saudi Arabia. An impressive result yet overshad-
owed by tragedy and a selfless act.
“To be the only American to accomplish this goal is
amazing,” an exuberant Brabec grinned. “I think it’s
really a dream come true. Now we’ve got to set our goals
higher and accomplish more.”
And while the American celebrated his first and Hon-
da’s breaking of the KTM reign, his team boss, Ruben
Faria perhaps summed it up perfectly for Honda who
dedicated the victory to his friend.
“We have suffered; we have battled until the final mo-
ment,” it’s clear this victory was emotional for the Mon-
ster Energy Honda General Manager. “When I was rac-
ing the Dakar there were three riders, Paulo Gonçalves,
Hélder Rodrigues and I.”
“I want to dedicate this Dakar to Paulo, who lost his
life doing what he loved best … This Dakar has not been
easy after the loss of our friend Paulo Gonçalves. Person-
ally, he was a great friend of mine with whom I shared
many things in common; it hasn’t been at all easy.”
Not an easy result at all ... the spirit of Dakar ...
Pic: Red Bull
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