“Never had the slightest regret!”
Vadym Nesterchuk's story on the Dakar started with a nightmare. For his first appearance in 2009, he had decided to take off on a quad but when he showed up at scrutineering in Buenos Aires, he was told he couldn't start because he didn't have the necessary licence to compete. He returned to the race a year later but this time in a car. Unfortunately his rally ended due to engine problems during stage 8. Behind the steering wheel of a L200 Mitsubishi, Vadym managed to finish in 2011 and did so in style, becoming the first Ukrainian to do so, capturing 35th position. Keen to overcome all sorts of difficulties, Vadym went on to complete last year's edition in 37th spot. For his 4th Dakar, the Ukrainian will be counting on a new co-driver, Russia's Vladimir Demyanenko who finished 47th with Ogorodnikov last year and 4th of the truck class as the navigator of Mardeev in 2011.
V. N. : “In 2011 we managed to finish. With some problems, but we finished and it was the first time a Ukrainian team did so. Of course, I was happy! On the podium, I was proud to say that I had created the Ukrainian team that could finish the most difficult race in the world. Counting the years when the Dakar was cancelled at the last moment and the one I couldn't start on a quad, it will be our sixth Dakar and all this time I did not have the slightest regret taking part in this race. We are evaluating our experience as a positive only. My best memories remain all those difficulties that we managed to overcome during race. This year we hope for a difficult and interesting race in the sand. Our ambition will be to get in the Top 10 overall.”
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