2001: Miss Kleinschmidt! (32/40)

December 29 ^th 2017 - 18:00

Edition 40 is approaching… a look back at 40 episodes with the most memorable images in the history of the Dakar.
 
She is unique. And observers quickly noticed Jutta Kleinschmidt’s entry into the rally-raid ranks, which was made on a motorbike. In her early days on two-wheels, the German rider scored her best finish in 1994 with 22nd place. That result opened the door to a four-wheel conversion. She began her car career with the Schlesser team during which she became the first female competitor to win a Dakar special stage in 1997. After finishing fifth overall that year, she switched to Mitsubishi and finished 3rd in 1999 and 5th again in 2000. Kleinschmidt reached the pinnacle in 2001 thanks to her consistency, which paid off the day before the finish when her Japanese team mate Hiroshi Masouka suffered a mechanical failure.