Price Opens His Account !
Dakar 2016
The 38th edition of the Dakar ended in Rosario today with Toby Price, racing in the motorcycle category, stamping his name on the list of winners for the first time. Today's stage was marked by Pablo Quintanilla's triumph in the motorcycle race.
Toby Price is a fast learner. Very fast. KTM's Australian leader, third in his debut last year, rode smartly to grab a clear win. Price, a good navigator impervious to pressure, which came especially from the Honda camp, wasted precious little time wandering around. If KTM wants someone to fill Marc Coma's boots, the Austrian maker need look no further: the heir is here! 29-year-old Toby Price, the first Aussie to win the race, looks every bit the new Dakar boss in a category that is undergoing a major renewal.
Behind him, Štefan Svitko (KTM) continues to make progress. Ninth in 2014 and fifth last year, he achieved his goal for this year's edition by finishing on the podium for the first time. Pablo Quintanilla took the bottom step. The Chilean may not have been as consistent as the two riders in front of him, but he still managed to produce an excellent performance.
As for the rookies, fourth-placed Kevin Benavides stormed onto the Dakar scene, just like Frenchmen Adrien Van Beveren (sixth) and Antoine Méo (seventh). Van Beveren, a two-time winner of the Enduropale du Touquet, got stronger as the race went by and steadily climbed up the general classification, but Meó was surely the unluckiest rider in the Dakar. Sitting third overall with two days to go and two stage wins in the bag, Méo sacrificed his podium spot in a heartbeat in order to support Toby Price. However, a heavy fall in the penultimate stage turned the end of the Dakar into a nightmare for the five-time world enduro champion. Not the reward he deserved for the last fortnight…
The Patronelli Bros. executed a perfect comeback to the quad category. Marcos, now a three-time winner, and runner-up Alejandro had the race tied up shortly before the halfway point. They defeated a surprising Brian Baragwanath, who finished his second participation on the podium. He will be worth keeping an eye on in 2017.
Stéphane Peterhansel (Peugeot) wrapped up his sixth triumph in the car category. Marcos Patronelli grabbed another victory in the quad race, while Gerard de Rooy made it two in the truck category.
All in all, 84 motorcycles, 23 quads, 67 cars and 44 trucks completed the 9,500 km long race, out of 358 competitors on the start line of the 38th edition —a finish rate of more than 60%.
Quotes:
"Being the first Australian to win the Dakar is just insane"
"I don't know what to say, I don't know what to think... I'm in shock, I never would've thought I could win this race in my second participation. This is incredible for my family, my friends and my fans back in Australia! Winning in my second participation is awesome, but being the first Australian to win the Dakar is just insane. I would've never imagined this two years ago. Finishing the rally is already a triumph. Winning it is amazing! I tackled the race in true Aussie style. I attacked when I had to, when the time was right, and I kept an eye on my bike during the all-important marathon stages. I also navigated rather well. I hope this is just the start, to win again. It won't be easy, so I've got to savour this victory."
"The last stage was the toughest one in the entire rally"
"The last stage was extremely hard. There was a lot of tension and nerves before the start. The entire race came down to this one stage. I started fast and, thanks to today and the team's work we defended our third place. I'm delighted. It was such a tough Dakar that we had to fight for the podium the last day, which is usually an opportunity to kick back and relax. For me, the last stage was the toughest, the most nerve-wracking one in the entire rally. I was hurt before the rally, but professional work helps you overcome that. The investment paid off today. I'll go on a well-deserved holiday and we'll then sit down with the team to talk about this season's calendar."