DIRT NEWS
Despite the mental and physical fatigue you would expect after such a tough rally , the 46-year-old pushed hard during Stage 8 , racing alongside his closest rival for the majority of 300km , showcasing just how capable the Ténéré is to bring his bike home in fifth with a time of 4h 15 ’ 57 ’’, three minutes and 12 seconds behind the winner . More importantly , he was just two minutes and two seconds behind the man pushing him for victory , securing an epic win for the Italian , the team , and Yamaha by a margin of 11 minutes and 21 seconds , with a combined time of 24h 22 ’ 43 ’’. For Tarres , the 2022 TDC has been a true test of his character in the successful Trials and Enduro rider ’ s first Rally Raid . Faced with some of the harshest conditions and environments in the world , while cursed with some terrible luck during the early stages that saw him taken out by a quad bike on Stage 3 and suffer a technical issue on Stage 4 , the 28-year-old never took a backward step despite facing such an incredibly steep learning curve . His pace and riding skill was evident as he battled at the front for the majority of several stages and when luck was on his side , the sight of him “ dancing ” through the dunes on his Ténéré left many of his fellow riders in awe . Still , it was his determination and
26 KIWI RIDER