FEATURE
2016 DAKAR RALLY WINNER TOBY PRICE
P78
stories of occasional pot shots
being taken by irate tribesmen at
competitor's vehicles, but there
was no mistaking the explicit
threats made by terrorists only a
week out from the 2008 Dakar,
leaving the ASO little option but
to can the whole show.
Alternate venues were se-
verely limited. The Serengeti.
Siberia. Or South America? The
last proved an inspired choice, a
continent overflowing with young
bloods who believe they're ge-
netically linked to Juan Manual
Fangio, have a relative born in
the same town as Pablo Mon-
toya, and all believing they enjoy
the same skills as Carlos Sainz.
To everyone's delight it seemed
the entire populations of Argen-
tina and Chile embraced the
spectacle. The European teams
were pleased to head south for
the winter, none more so than
the moto riders. For the first time
the Americans and Canadians
felt the same; better balmy Bue-
nos Aires than snowbound Chi-
cago. From the Australians' point
of view, crossing the Pacific was
far easier and considerably less
expensive than the kangaroo
hop to Europe.
The relocation to South Amer-
ica may well have increased
participation from non-Euro-
peans, however, the podiums
remained the province of France
and Spain, despite occasional
stage wins by Californians Jonah
Street and the late Kurt Caselli,
and South Australian Matt Fish.
Australia's acknowledged "King
of the Desert" was triple Austra-
lian Safari winner Ben Grabham,
a guy at his peak. However, at
that time KTM had won Dakar
10 years in succession with Cyril
"I probably
wouldn't be here
if it wasn't for
Kurt Caselli, who
opened a lot of
doors for me."
- Price
Andy Haydon (right)
was the first rookie
to stand on the
podium in 1998.
Price repeated the
feat in 2015.
