"Everything I need to pursue my dream"
Crew facts
- Adrien Van Beveren had two big dreams in life: to win the Enduropale du Touquet and the Dakar Rally. He achieved the first three times (2014, 15, 16) in a busy career as a "beach boy". A three-time French sand champion (2010, 14, 15), the northern Frenchman has enjoyed success from Loon-Plage to Grayan, even passing through Argentina, where he fell in love with the Enduro del Verano.
- After a few preparatory rallies in 2015, VBA made its Dakar debut in 2016 with the Yamaha factory team. He quickly performed well (6th, then 4th in 2017) before enduring some tough times in the following years: four consecutive retirements, including one (2018) due to a terrible crash while he was on course for victory.
- After joining Honda in 2021, the tall blond quickly became one of the pillars of HRC. Involved in the bike's development, he also shone with his results. VBA stood on the podium of the world championship from 2021 to 2024, as well as on the podium of the last two Dakar rallies. The top step still eludes him.
- The road to the 2026 edition has not been easy. Van Beveren raced with an injured wrist (ligament) in South Africa, before undergoing surgery and switching from motorbike to bicycle. He then had a bad fall in Portugal, but gritted his teeth and raced in Morocco. These challenging moments also gave him time to reflect, rethink his preparation, and optimise all aspects of his performance. The current best French rally-raid rider will be 100% fit heading to his eleventh Dakar, on the eve of his 35th birthday. And he will still be driven by the desire to make his dream a reality with victory.
Ambition
A.V.B.: "Finishing on the podium for the second time in the 2025 Dakar Rally was a solid result. Overall, my 2025 season was positive, considering the circumstances. Having surgery after the South African Safari Rally allowed me to rethink my preparation; I took a step forward physically and mentally during the period when I couldn't ride my motorbike. I cycled and thought about how I could improve. I developed some interesting ideas and was implementing them in Portugal when I crashed. I then took on another challenge: to recover as quickly as possible so I could race in Morocco, while still preparing for the Dakar. I wasn't at my best; I didn't have the physical strength or confidence I had in Portugal, but I still managed to get there, so that's positive. I haven't let up since. I've resumed training, I have a serious and defined plan until the Dakar to be stronger than ever in 2026."
"I feel that I can now benefit from my experience of several Dakars, and that this can give me more peace of mind during the rally and more self-confidence. I'm in the right team to perform well, and my teammates and I push each other to do better. I feel like I have everything I need to achieve my dream. I'm 34 years old and I feel great. I still have this dream of winning the Dakar, and my experience is starting to pay off, delivering very consistent results. I have some very fast and explosive competitors, especially early in the rally, which hasn't always been my strong point. But the Dakar is long, and a lot can happen."
