VOL. 54 ISSUE 2 JANUARY 17, 2017 P29
very positive: we have devel-
oped a really magnificent bike,
which hasn't given the slightest
problem throughout the race,
and the team has worked really
well together. Ricky [Brabec] has
taken a giant leap forward; Mika
[Michael Metge] was always very
close and Paulo was always in
the top positions. We have a re-
ally strong team and we have to
be pleased about that.
Sixth went to Barreda's team-
mate Paulo Goncalves.
Unfortunately, American Ricky
Brabec was unable to finish this
year's race, after damaging his
bike's radiator in a crash during
stage 10.
"Stage 10 was going good for
me," said Brabec who earlier in
the week recorded his first-ever
stage win in Dakar. "I felt com-
fortable and confident and I had
the speed. Early on a tip-over
damaged the motorcycle but I
1. Sam Sunderland (KTM)
2. Matthias Walkner (KTM)
3. Gerard Farres (KTM)
4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yam)
5. Joan Barreda (Hon)
6. Paulo Goncalves (Hon)
7. Pela Renet (Hus)
8. Franco Caimi (Hon)
9. Helder Rodrigues (Yam)
10. Joaquim Rodrigues (Her)
(Right) Spain's
Laia Sanz
finished an
impressive 11th
overall. (Below)
Unfortunately,
American Ricky
Brabec didn't
quite see the
finish line. After
a great ride,
a damaged
radiator put him
out two stages
from the ened.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
KTM
IMAGES
PHOTOGRAPHY
HONDA
HRC
went on to win the first special.
Then, six kilometers from the fin-
ish, the bike died on me and that
was the end of my Dakar. I called
for some water and they told me
that it wasn't safe for me to stop
there and wait to get a tow. They
made me go to the helicopter to
get a ride to the finish line, which
was six or seven kilometers from
where I was. That was the end
of my Dakar. Next year I hope to
come back and finish better than
I did this year." CN
