Page 114 - Australian Motorcycle News (January 2020)

Dakar

AUSSIE ROD FAGGOTTER

SCORED HIS BEST-EVER

5DAKAR FINISH

WITH BACKING FROM Yamaha Australia, enduro veteran
Rod Faggotter rode his privateer bike to his best-ever Dakar
finish in 2020, finishing the race in 13th place ahead of some
big names of the rally world. The Queenslander bettered both
his 2013 result of 14th and 2018 result of 16th this year. His best
stage result came at the end of stage 10, in which he finished
sixth, just over four minutes off the winner.
“Wow, it’s done!” he said following the event. “The riders in
front of me are the best rally riders in the world and most of
them full-time athletes – I’m pumped to be near and amongst
these guys!”

AUSTRALIA CHEERED ON

TWO ROOKIESFOR2020

AS IF BEING a Dakar
rookie isn’t tough enough,
Australian former school
teacher Trevor Wilson
(Husqvarna) was one of just 40
riders who entered in the unassisted
Original by Motul category.
“I was cruising through life as a
school teacher and asked myself what
regrets I might have and that was the
Dakar Rally, a race I had always dreamt of,” he said. “I told my friends
about it and they laughed.”
After more than a few setbacks which included stolen bikes and car
crashes, the 29-year-old lined up in Saudi Arabia to achieve his dream.
He finished 17th in the category, was the 15th ranked rookie and

placed 76th overall.
Rookie Matt Tisdall (KTM) – who has only been riding motorbikes
for the last six years – outclassed many high-profile riders by simply

making the finish line. He finished 96th. And to prove how hard he
worked for it, Brabec took 40 hours and two minutes to complete the
2020 rally. Tisdall spent 80 hours and 27 minutes on the bike to reach the
end – a heroic effort.

Saudi Arabia showed off some
landscapes that might as well
have been on Mars

112 amcn.com.au