42nd Dakar adventure ends in triumph for Honda

The first Dakar to be held in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom of sand took its toll on the competing vehicles with just 237 out of the 342 vehicles that started the rally in Jeddah (69%) finishing the rally. The toll on the support vehicles was less dramatic with all Adria motorhomes making it through the adventure unscathed.

The 42nd edition of the Dakar took competitors from the shores of the Red Sea in Jeddah, around the canyons and mountains of the western part of the country, over the dunes of the Empty Quarter and all the way to the finish line near the capital Riyadh.

At the finish, American biker Ricky Brabec put an end to Honda's 31-year drought, bringing the dominance of the KTM team 18-win streak going back to 2001 to an end. No American had ever won the greatest rally raid on Earth before. Pablo Quintanilla rode his KTM’s sister brand Husqvarna to second place. The 2019 champion, KTM’s Toby Price, took the third step on the podium. 

Adria motorhomes once again proved their worth for KTM, providing support accommodation through all the stage and covering almost the same distances as the riders. This year’s fleet included a Coral XL Plus 600 DP, A Matrix Supreme 670 SC, Matrix Axess 670 DK and a Sonic Plus 700 SL. All the motorhomes were tested to extremes but came home unscathed and without incident. 

Look out for more Dakar stories at www.dakar.com and www.ktm.com

Photos: Rally Zone