the win across the final stage . Having lead for six stages across the two week event , the Husqvarna rider started the stage seventh on the road , a challenge by any standards . Claiming third outright he finished the stage almost five minutes from Benavides , a comfortable cushion over Adrien Van Beveren meant he took his first Dakar trophy .
All riders agreed that this years event was a gruelling affair , one that claimed many top ten riders . Former winners , Sam Sunderland and Ricky Brabec both forced out in the first two stages whilst Matthias Walkner , also a former winner , came back from an accident on stage two but was hurt during a second crash later in the event . Joan Barreda and Mason Klein also forced out due to injury .
Husqvarna took victory in the Rally2 class with South African Michael Docherty claiming the win . An impressive achievement in his first attempt at Dakar . Another South African took the Originals By Motul class . Charan Moore , also riding a Husqvarna , finished 21 minutes ahead of his nearest rival , a herculean effort in the class that sees riders compete like the original riders of Dakar , with no support team or crew . TRAVERSE
TRAVERSE 89