Matthias Walkner: "This podium spot feels almost like a victory"

Dakar 2022 | Stage 12 | SHUBAYTAH > SHUBAYTAH
January 14 ^th 2022 - 10:41 [GMT + 3]

The Austrian winner of the 2018 edition finished on the podium of the Dakar for the fourth time in his career, this time in third place.

 "If you'd said to me before the rally I could finish in the top 3, I would have said, 'where do I have to sign?'. So many things can happen on the road. We spend so many hours on our bikes. We saw Kevin Benavides run into trouble and Daniel Sanders crash. Danger lurks around every corner. There are always up and downs, so all in all, I'm really happy it all went so well, despite the stress. We came in first and third on our new bike, which is really great. I'm going to enjoy this podium spot, which almost feels like a victory. I gave it my all for 12 stages."