A Dakar story that we have read or been told time by time again over some 40 years. But the worst thing about it always is when you become one of the main actors yourself #!?#
Interviewed by the local DAKAR LIVE reporter while we were waiting for patrol
Sudden end of a dream - torn from a dream within a very short time!
Start and very good pace, so that I was quickly in the lead in the Malle classification
After some 80 km, the motorcycle suddenly misfired - a quick check revealed that the front fuel pump was only attached to the tank with a screw and all the fuel ran out. I was able to repair that, but after another 150km without fuel I got to a stillstand again.
Friends then gave me 1-2 liters of petrol, which of course didn't last very far. So, shortly after I got stopped again - exactly where Ross Branch from the HERO TEAM was already desperately waiting for the Bedouins, he had asked to get some gas for him! When they came back we could continue, but after another 20 minutes I was stopped again.
I emptied all the tanks, dismenteld half the bike, reassembled it, but still was standing there again without petrol ==> two Bedouins then appeared by chance and I gave them 50 euros and they helped me to get some gas... 1 hour passed before I could continue!
But also this work only lasted me for a 2 minute ridebefore the bike finally and fully gave up.
Ultimately, the problem was some water in the tanks, which then slowly destroyed the fuel pump .... the same happened to Sebastian Bühler and some other participants.
When I was still waiting for my bike in the paddock around midnight, it was clear that I couldn't start the next day and had to skip a day and then be allowed to ride "outside the classification" as an extra!
But then it quickly became clear to me that I didn't want to continue / end the rally in such a way. If you don't ride with 100% concentration & focus, keep a clear goal in mind and your thoughts are somewhere else, this sport is just too dangerous - and I just diidn't want to risk that. It would be a waste of money, unfair to my sponsors and irresponsible to my family.
Looks more like a holiday trip, but not close to a factory rider and amateur with big ambitions, when Roos & myself were waiting for the return of the friendly Saudis, which were out looking for some petrol