Daniel Sanders has raced into the historical past books, changing into solely the second Australian to triumph on the Dakar Rally and the primary motorcyclist in 16 years to steer from begin to end within the nice two-week race.
The person identified all through the demanding endurance sport as Chucky flew dwelling throughout the desert dunes to Shubaytah on his Crimson Bull KTM on Friday to seal a powerful wire-to-wire triumph in Saudi Arabia.
The 30-year-old from the Yarra Valley completed sixth over the ultimate mass-start 61-kilometre dash, having determined to “play it secure” as he protected his nine-minute lead over his nearest rival, Spain’s Monster Power Honda rider, Tosha Schareina.
Sanders ended up shedding solely 10 seconds to Schareina as he triumphed within the provisional closing standings by 8 minutes and 50 seconds to grow to be the primary Aussie for six years since his pal, two-time bike winner Toby Value, to prevail in 47 editions of the world’s most difficult rally.
“It is large. After I got here during the last dune, I might see the bivouac after which I simply obtained on the spot chills by means of the entire physique,” mentioned the emotional Sanders afterwards.
“I used to be tremendous, tremendous nervous, yeah, could not imagine it. All of the feelings began coming by means of as you could possibly see the end line.
“It is the most important race on this planet for motorbikes and off-road, so to win the Six-Day Worldwide Enduro after which now the Dakar, it is simply ticked off all of the objectives for my profession and every part I’ve needed to realize. So it is a large accomplishment.”
Sanders, who hails from the agricultural Victorian city of Three Bridges the place he grew up on the household’s apple farm, is a eager beekeeper in addition to being one thing of a cult determine amongst petrolheads as he is grow to be among the finest riders on this planet.
His rivals have been definitely stung from day one when Chucky gained the prologue of the forbidding 7700km race, and he continued to wreak harm by profitable 4 of the primary 5 levels to open up a lead he by no means seemed like relinquishing.
Sanders has lastly prevailed in his fifth try on the brutal race within the Saudi deserts, his earlier efforts having been dogged by dangerous luck and accidents after he completed as the highest rookie in fourth place again in 2021.
The next yr, he was going properly with two stage wins below his belt however, whereas mendacity third, fractured his elbow and wrist in an accident. In 2023, he limped dwelling seventh after a nasty bout of meals poisoning and a thorn caught in a muscle in his arm.
One yr, he even obtained stung beneath his race helmet by a bee which, happily, as a bloke who’s used to taking care of over 100 hives, did not trouble him an excessive amount of.
Within the build-up to final yr’s race, he broke his femur coaching within the outback, and wasn’t at full health as he completed eighth, however victory within the Rally of Morocco final October set him up for the most important win of his profession.
The Dakar is the traditional off-road marathon problem that began life because the Paris to Dakar Rally, which swept throughout Africa to Senegal. However due to safety risks, it has morphed right into a desert problem throughout Saudi Arabia.
AAP
