Toby Price has offered a touching message to fans as he recovers from surgery following the reigning Dakar champion’s cruel early exit from the torturous event last week.
As crews take advantage of the rest day, weather continues to play havoc with the Dakar with officials forced to cut the 322km Stage 7 from La Paz to Uyuni in half.
The new course is an unprecedented combination of the original routes of stages 6 and 7 with the 161km timed route mainly consisting of sandy terrain.
Continuing downpours in Bolivia have disrupted the event which saw Stage 5 shortened last week and later forced the cancellation of Stage 6 from Oruro to La Paz.
Meanwhile Red Bull KTM factory rider Price, who suffered a broken left femur during Stage 4, took time out to write some moving words for teams, his family and his team in between visits from current bike leader and team-mate Sam Sunderland.
Price wrote on his Facebook page: “Just slowly coming around now, don’t remember much of the last few days but all will be good… it’s just a broken leg and once I shake these seizures I’ll be home to repair myself for more, I love punishment.
“I don’t wanna go on too long but first of all sorry to fans/supporters for one not finishing and not having something to watch on SBS and big sorry to my sponsors that pay me to do the job I need to do and this time I didn’t deliver and failed.
“I lay here with a tear in my eye just wanting to be back on my bike again next week cause through good or bad it’s the only thing I know how to do well.
“Thanks mum and dad and sorry I do this shit overseas all the time but it makes me a stronger person and when all things click again I’ll be back for more torture on you both, sorry.
“One thing is for sure I know I need to be back in 4months so will do all I can to get this to happen.
“Thanks to all my badass crew back home as well you guys make my days fly by and the support from around the world has been unreal… much love️.”
Dakar resumes tonight (AEDT) with Stephane Peterhansel leading a Peugeot 3008 DKR blitz in the car section from team-mates Sebastien Loeb and Cyril Despres.
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