VAN DER LAAN Johan NLD 04/12/1965 197 cm 93 kg

Vehicle

MODEL	MAKE
TE 450	HUSQVARNA

RANKING

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Scratch	164	87	92	89	70	78	78	61	63	63	-	92	72	88
Stage	164	87	92	86	70	78	76	61	61	100	-	90	71	88	-	-
Overall	164	114	97	89	72	71	68	66	63	78	-	81	79	77	-	-

Johan van der Laan : «I have a safety light in my helmet »

A “good” rally, without “major problems”…The 2007 Dakar made up for the first and painful participation of Johan Van der Laan on the Dakar, the year before. A rally that came to an end for the Dutchman on day ten with an injured knee. But philosophy got the better of the frustration and Johan Van der Laan preferred to learn from the first failure by improving his skills as a mechanic. The following year it came together, resulting in a 39th place in the final standings and sweet revenge for the off-road bike enthusiast.

This year, Johan will put into action another lesson he learned on his maiden Dakar. After his headlight broke during a stage, and nightfall came, he had to follow another rider to find his way. So, “this year, I have safety light in my helmet”, laughs Johan, who says his light has a “five hour life span”.

The goal this restaurateur has set for himself seems reasonable: “finish in the top 100.” But for this South American Dakar, he is looking for more than just a good result: “I hope to experience something different every day. In Africa, you can experience the same conditions for three or four days in a row. I am happy we are changing continents.”

Johan Van der Laan will ride a prototype specifically built for him by a Husqvarna dealer. A much lighter bike than the KTMs with which he has ridden in the past. This amateur footballer and big supporter of the Feyenoord Rotterdam club could talk about football with team mate Robert Van Olst, who supports rival club PSV Eindhoven: “We could even have a game one night!”

Dakar start photos on line: www.maindruphoto.com

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