Dakar Diary: Broken bones and a big decision

Al Duwadimi, Saudi Arabia – Jan 11, 2025
Stage 6

I got away to a nice start and was setting a good pace with a group of other bikes. The start of the stage was brutal but my navigation was good again and I briefly broke away from the others when they made some errors.

There were plenty of rocks and sand but some very fast open tracks as well. After the fuel stop and neutralisation at km 400 we went into the dunes.

The dunes were a challenge for me as I have very limited strength and I’ve have been mostly riding and steering the bike one handed due to the snapped bicep tendon in my left arm.

I could manage it this morning, but in the big dunes with deep soft sand it was a whole new ball game.

The electrical problem with the bike surfaced again too.

I got stuck about six times in the big dunes but always managed to get it going by roll starting it. Then about 40 km from Checkpoint 4 the bike stopped at the top of a really big and steep dune, maybe 140 – 160 metres high.

I tried to roll start it down the face of the dune but the front wheel just dug in and threw me over the bars really bad. I was stuck and knew immediately I had broken some ribs.

I waited for a couple of Saudi spectators to climb the dune, drag the bike down and lift me on. I sat there for 10 – 15 minutes and the bike suddenly decided to start.

There were another 40 km of big dunes to get to the checkpoint. I thought if I could make it to the checkpoint I would ride back to the bivouac on the road section.

I lost my balance while they were stamping my time card and they knew something was wrong when I couldn’t pick my bike up.

The medic did an ultrasound with the portable machine and found there are broken ribs. When she looked at my left bicep she freaked out because it is now completely detached.

I wanted to continue on, or at least ride back on the road, but the ribs are actually pretty bad and by then I was struggling to move my right arm without aggravating my ribs.

I’m glad they took my helmet and wouldn’t let me ride as I don’t think I would have been able to hold the bike upright.

I was taken back to the Dakar medical centre for a CT scan and was hoping it was only minor rib fractures so I could continue tomorrow.

The doctors have spoken to Katie and I have three fractured ribs, fractured scapula and my left collarbone is broken again.

There were many serious crashes today. Bradley Cox, the young and fast South African, had a huge crash very early in the stage, and World Rally Raid Champion Ross Branch also had a big accident and both are out of the race.

It’s time to down some painkillers and get some sleep. It’s now after midnight and I can hear bikes still arriving in the bivouac.

There are some decisions that need to be made in the morning.