“I couldn’t resist”

Business, family matters and an ongoing back injury made Erik van Loon decide to sit out the Dakar 2018. The most successful Dutch driver in the Dakar history in terms of the final standings in the car category (4th in 2015) nevertheless had an eventful year. His meat company moved to a brand new outlet and Van Loon became a father for the third time. For his fiftieth birthday he had a big party with at least half of the Dutch population of the bivouac to celebrate. In the build-up for the 2019 Dakar Van Loon won the Dutch Dakar Pre Proloog for the fifth time, beating his rival for many years Bernhard ten Brinke. For his tenth Dakar entry Erik van Loon teams up with navigator Harmen Scholtalbers, who was his co-pilot in 2011 and 2012 and with whom he won the Dutch rally championship back in 2010. Also Scholtalbers went through some changes since his last Dakar: he build up his own company for training and advising cyclists.

EvL: “I have to admit I have been doubting about returning to the Dakar, but I couldn’t resist. Nevertheless it might be my last one, as my priorities have changed. Competing in the Dakar isn’t just two weeks: it takes a lot of time throughout the year as you have to stay fit, and maintain driving skills by competing in other events. In Qatar I noticed how important it is to keep up those skills and that’s also one of the reasons my co-pilot for the past few years, Wouter Rosegaar, took the opportunity to move to Harry Hunt, with whom I wish him all the best. If you want to be competitive, it is quite a time consuming hobby. Now that we have a new baby girl I realize how much I have missed of my other two daughters growing up. This doesn’t mean I take the 2019 Dakar for granted, on the contrary. The top 10 is still the aim. Harmen Scholtalbers, with whom I have been in the Dutch national championship for many years, is a very precise navigator with whom it should be possible to achieve that.”