De Rooy answers the call of the sand

January 5 ^th 2019 - 17:29

Gerard de Rooy's absence was as conspicuous as it was short. The Dutchman took a break from the Dakar last year, delegating the battle against Kamaz to his gallant Argentinian driver Federico Villagra. However, the two-time champion (2012 and 2016) and winner of the first stage to Lima, back when the rally discovered Peru, was unable to resist the call of the dunes any more. The Dutchman soaked up the first rays of sun of the day while he waited for race officials to check his truck, excited yet cautious about the duels to come.

"2012 and the start of 2013 was also very nice… Yeah, we like to drive on the sand. Everybody needs to keep their heads together and not push too much, too hard." Usually known for his high-octane approach to specials (31 stage wins throughout his career), De Rooy announced that he will follow a much more conservative strategy in his quest for a third title: "I think this year, if every day you are third, you still win the Dakar. You don't have to win a special to win in the end. The main thing is to keep your head cool and not push too much. [Victory is the only goal] for the team for sure, for me also. It doesn't matter who wins as long as it's a green truck".