Dakar Rally: Dream ACCOMPLISHED!

Abidjan 31 January 2007

Hi Everyone,

The race started with a bit of a struggle when I received my bike in Lisbon. I think 

I was the only rider with a bike completely dismantled the night before the 

technical checks.   Max Sullivan [www.motorcycleconsulting.com.au] and with the 

help of everyone in the assistance managed to rebuild the bike just in time for 

scrutineering.

The first stage in Portugal was excellent, all sand, deep sand just like I like. Things

got complicated for me in Morocco when my glove made a blister on top of my left

hand. The blister turned nasty while riding through rocks and I could nearly see the

bone with the rubbing. That blister got infected and affected all the tendons in my

hand. I could barely hold the handlebar for 3 days.

I cannot thank the Doctors from the organisation enough, they did a fantastic job 

getting rid of the infection and giving my hand back. At one moment I even 

thought about taping my hand to the handlebar if it got more painful. Luckily

things got better after the rest day.

The most difficult for me were obviously the first few days in Africa because of the

rocks and the non-stop pounding on my hand. Also I had not done much riding in

the rocks so the articulations were not used to this kind of riding for 10-11 hours

straight.

There were all kind of rocks, big ones, little ones, square ones, round ones, all

shapes and sizes - I have never seen so many rocks in my life. You tried to 

avoid one just to hit a bigger one! Those were long days especially when we 

spent the whole day doing this.

I was also extra careful not to crash and damage the bike as I knew the lower 

part of Africa would be better for me. Unfortunately a friend of mine, Elmer

Symons died on day 4 of the race - it was his first Dakar as a rider and was 

appreciated by everyone in the bivouac.

The race got better for me in the second part of the rally. The track was getting 

more sandy, less rocks, my hand was getting better, and I was able to ride at a

more consistent pace. Yet my articulations were getting tired after 250-300 kms.

I changed tactics in the last 4-5 days with pacing myself in the initial part of the 

stages and pushing harder and harder as the day went on. It worked great as

riders started to physically feel the length of the Dakar. In my head, I was just 

getting started.

Month before the race I told myself that each day should last 1,000 kms. Anything

less than 1,000 kms would be a bonus. I was ready.

The race was not without crashes. I had so far conducted myself according to the

level of training and the preparation I had done. I had made the best of each day.

But then I got impatient and made my first error that could have been costly.

I got stuck on a sandy track behind a quad bike for 25kms, stuck in the dust, 

unable to pass due to the trees on the sides. But I got that feeling that I had to

get by, as I was riding blind in the dust my front wheel grabbed the side of the

track, I went off track, and hit a small white African tree. I thought "the tree has

to break, the tree has to break..." but it didn't. At 70-80km/h the bike stopped 

still and I flew over the bars... I got up without a scratch on me or the motorcycle.

This is when, with all the things that have happened to me in 2006 I realised that

an "angel" was looking over me. That crash could have been a lot worse.

I used a "second life" 2 days later. Going straight at 90-100km/h, the front end

disappeared from underneath me. I still don't know what caused the fall, I really

got lucky with only a few bruises on the leg, hip, and elbow. Probably a layer of

soft fetch fetch.

The "third life" was the stage Tambacounda-Dakar. A few kms from the end,

at 140km/h I hit a hole that wasn't in the road book and probably had the "most

controlled" crash of my life doing a 180 degrees with the bike. The bike and me 

stayed about 5 seconds on the ground and I was off again. It was amazing, I was

in the zone and it seems that nothing could have stopped me. Again, not a 

scratch.

From a mechanic perspective I only had a tripmaster cable ripped with rocks, a 

falling front fender due to the vibrations, and a crack in the swingarm. Max

Sullivan did a fantastic job each night on the bike. Other mechanics nicknamed him

"Mad Max" and "Max, the Master Mechanic." Max made a lot of friends during the 

Dakar.

Looking back at the race, I am really happy how the race turned out for me. I did

not get any muscle aches at all and I raced within the limits of the training I had 

done.

Emotionally, with all the problems I had in 2006 with multiple injuries I was more

determined than every and nothing was going to stop me in my tracks to Dakar.

I knew I could ride with broken ribs, I knew I could last 20 hours on the bike if I

had to, and I knew I could ride 4 days without drinking or eating - which pretty

much summarised my races in 2006.

Mentally, for 12 months I played the race over and over and over in my head. 

I was programmed, I was conditioned and stayed focused on riding at a 

rhythm/drinking/eating during the race, and eating/roadbook/sleeping at night.

Nothing more, nothing less, making sure I had enough sleep each night not to fall 

in a "downward spiral."

Today, 10 days after the race, I am still struggling to get out of that "zone" where 

you are so focused, where you try to "feel nothing" and be numb to all emotions.

It is a very strange feeling, even after the race is finished. On the podium I wanted

the race to keep going for another 10-15 days and didn't want it to end.

Overall, I was very strong in the emotional and mental part; physically you can 

never be ready. I should have done more rock riding. I am really happy with each 

day that led to 64th overall and 25th in the super-production category. I did the

best of everyday and that is already ... a victory in itself.

Anyone interested in participating and/or wanting to prepare for the Dakar rally 

can contact me. 

See you on SBS Television, Fox Sports, and of course through my column on 

TrailRider Magazine.

Christophe

CBV Racing - Australian Rally Team