Dual Dakar champion Price aiming for rally redemption

Australian motorcycle champion Toby Price is determined to put the disappointment of last year’s Dakar rally behind him as he sets his sights on claiming a third career Dakar title in 2022.

Australian Motorcyclist Toby Price will be in contention for his third Dakar Rally title in 2022 Source: Getty Images

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The KTM Red Bull Team rider is in his final stages of preparation for the 2022 Dakar Rally which sets off from Ha'il and covers over 8,000km of Saudi Arabia’s harshest desert terrain.

Price, who was crowned Dakar champion in 2016 and 2019, will once again be one of the favourites to take out the Motorcycle category of the famous endurance race.

In 2021, Price had made a brilliant start to the Dakar to be in contention for the race win at the halfway point before breaking his collarbone and hand 155km into the ninth stage.

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The injury derailed much of Price’s 2021 season with the Gold Coast local requiring multiple surgeries.

After a long rehab period, Price is back on the bike and ready to make amends when the 2022 Dakar gets underway on January 1.

"There's been a few hurdles but we've been able to get over them," Price said.

"To win the race, or even finish, it's a memory that you can hold until your last breath.

"It was a bit of a challenge for the doctor to fix everything up - and I had some other underlying issues with the shoulder from previous injuries, so while we were there we fixed those up as well and I'm back to 100 per cent."

While being able to compete at the Dakar again would be reward enough for some, Price has his focus set to the top of the podium.

"The ultimate goal is to win the race, and we sign up to win the race," Price said. "If that doesn't happen I'd love to be on the podium again - we've been able to get five of those with two wins and three thirds.

"I sign up because I know I can still do it, and we'll just wait and see what the race brings."

"I think it's just the competitive nature to me, and the atmosphere - being a part of Dakar, it's something where I can leave a legacy and tell a bit of a story."