PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY: NO GROWING PAINS FOR ERYK GOCZAL
It is always tempting to break into a faint smile on hearing ultra-optimistic predictions of world dominance from people who are not yet even champions of their neighbourhood. When he was 17 years old, Eryk Goczal had not even passed his driving test but was already dreaming big when accompanying his father and uncle taking part in the Dakar in the SSV category to prepare him for the rally. That was in 2022 and since then the young Pole’s progression has been simply dazzling: he won the SSV category outright in 2023, suffered the setback of disqualification for technical non-compliance on his Challenger class Taurus the following year, won a special on the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2025 in his first Toyota Hilux and has now written his name in style on the Dakar roll of honour for stage wins in the Ultimate class.
During the first week, the young and ambitious driver began with a fifth placed finish on one stage, by way of a warning because it was on the first part of the marathon stage. Today, this type of exercise again inspired him. On arrival at the bivouac-refuge, Eryk won his first stage in the Dakar’s premium category, after starting out from Wadi in 38th position. On his way, he overtook a total of 17 cars, which were hardly trundling along, before producing the best time on the special. As if it was not already a very happy day, he had the added joy of finishing just ahead of his own uncle in the stage rankings, by 7’45’’. The first Polish victory in the Ultimate class since Krzysztov Holowczyc in 2012, was an unprecedented family one-two.
