Adrien Van Beveren: “I thought I was going to lose everything”

Dakar 2025 | Stage 3 | BISHA > AL HENAKIYAH
January 7 ^th 2025 - 14:37 [GMT + 3]

Adrien Van Beveren fell at the start before experiencing a stage of ups and downs that left him in 11th place on the day, 7’03’’ behind the winner, but the Frenchman has limited the damage.

“Tosha (Schareina) made a mistake after four kilometres and he was starting in front of me. He was getting back on track when I caught up with him. I knew he was going to go on all-out attack and that he can be quick in the rocks, so I tried to ride at his pace. I rode behind him at a reasonable distance, but I didn’t want to let him out of my sight. I hit a rock and my bike suddenly slid left and then right before I was thrown over the handlebars. I don’t know if I lost consciousness or not, I don’t remember much about it, but I’m not feeling too bad. I was a bit shaken, but the airbag worked well, so I was able to set off straight away, but in the wrong direction. I followed the tracks on the ground, but because I was going the wrong way, I came face to face with Ross (Branch). That’s when I realised I was going the wrong way. Afterwards, the navigation was complicated and I’d lost my front brake. I stopped to try and repair it with a nut, but then it started working and braking all on its own. I rode sensibly afterwards. I went through all sorts of emotions: I thought I was going to lose everything with that crash”.