Van Niekerk conquers the Dakar again
The all-South African Broadlink KTM Rally Team, of Riaan van Niekerk (of Brakpan) and Darryl Curtis, were among the 78 motorcycle racers on an initial start list of 196 entries, who successfully completed the daunting 2014 Dakar Rally, in South America, after a 15-day, more than 8 500km journey, which crossed Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.
Van Niekerk (a multiple off-road and endurance national champion) was consistently running just outside the top 10, throughout the second week.
Despite a disastrous final day, where he was classified 75th, 49 minutes behind the leaders, he still managed to maintain his 12th position overall.
This was one position higher than he managed in his debut Dakar Rally, last year.
He also won the Super Production class for the second year running, and was also the first non-factory rider to complete the race.
Overall, van Niekerk was five hours, 33 minutes and 38 seconds behind the overall motorcycle winner, Mark Coma, of Spain, who completed the event on his KTM in a time of 54 hours, 50 minutes and 53 seconds.
Speaking to the Herald about his experience, van Niekerk said: “It feels great to be home, because I have been away for nearly a month.”
He added that the hardest thing about the Dakar this year was a lack of sleep.
“I got only about five or six hours of sleep a night, so it was not easy, but we just carried on,” he said, adding that he was very satisfied with finishing in 12th position, because all the riders ahead of him were full-time, professionals.
“It is not what I do from Monday to Friday, so I am very happy with where I finished,” he said.
When asked what goes through his head while riding a stage, van Niekerk said: “Not much really.
“You are always so busy with navigation that if you even think about something else you could crash.”
He thanked his main sponsors, Broadlink KTM, for their support.
“Without them this could not have happened,” he said.
