Toby Price wins 2019 Dakar Rally!
Despite carrying a wrist injury, the Aussie KTM rider has claimed his second Dakar Rally crownAustralia's Toby Price has won his second Dakar Rally, the 31-year-old and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider winning the 10th and final stage of the event and the overall victory, finishing nine minutes and 13 seconds ahead of Austrian teammate, Matthias Walkner.
Briton Sam Sunderland finished third, as Red Bull KTM Factory Racing fill all three steps on the podium in the Peru-hosted event.
Price entered the final stage just over one minute ahead in the overall standings, in an event that went down to the wire over a short 112km timed special stage that took competitors from the city of Pisco to the finish line in the Peruvian capital of Lima.
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A reverse order start saw Price set off last in the final stage, the Australian soon settling into a steady pace after his nearest rival, Chilean rider Pablo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna), fell some 10km in. Price capitalised and rode a swift but considered race to the line, in a victory that also saw KTM secure its 18th straight Dakar win.
Price's victory, his second Dakar win after claiming the title in 2016, is all the more impressive considering he broke the scaphoid in his right wrist just weeks before the start of the gruelling event.
The win caps off a stellar period for Price, who was also recently crowned the 2018 FIM Cross Country Rallies world champion.
Speaking after the epic victory, a jubilant Price struggled to describe his elation at conquering the 10-day Dakar.
"It feels amazing to stand here knowing I have won the Dakar; I don’t think it has really sunk in yet," he said. "I thought at the beginning of the event I would be lucky to even make the rest day. My Red Bull KTM bike has been amazing; I want to say a big thank you to my mechanic for that. The whole crew here do an amazing job – without them I would be no-one.
"The team put in so much work on the lead-up to the event and when we get here it's down to me out there on the track, so it feels amazing to be able to reward them all with this result and keep KTM's winning streak going.
"It was so tight going into the stage this morning, both Pablo and I knew we would have to push right from the start. Unfortunately for him, he went too hard off a dune but he really deserves a win too – everyone that starts this race deserves a win.
"The plan now is to go home and relax for a little while. I know I need to have my wrist seen to, so I'll get that sorted and then it won't be long before we start it all over again."
2019 Dakar Rally final standings:
1. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 33:57:16
2. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 34:06:29 +9:13
3. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 34:10:50 +13:34
4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHL), Husqvarna, 34:18:02 +20:46
5. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 34:41:26 +44:10
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