“We help each other out, it's not really a competition”

Jan Vesely isn't a man to shy away from a challenge. Having participated in seven consecutive Dakars between 2010 and 2016 -reaching the finish line on five occasions- the experienced Czech mechanic and rider decided to step things up by entering the 'Original by Motul' category a year ago. Though he described the 2018 rally as the "toughest" he'd taken part in, the 47-year-old nevertheless made it unscathed to the podium in Cordoba, coming 68th in the bikes overall and 12th in the malle moto class. Jan, who has been riding a bike since childhood, believes that the 'Original' category perfectly captures the essence of the early Dakars. Now, with a little help from his friends, he's looking forward to pitting his wits against the Peruvian dunes in this 2019 edition.

“I've been on a bike all my life! That eventually led me to the Dakar, and this year I will be participating for the ninth time. I prefer to be in the Original class, with no assistance at all. That's the spirit of the original Dakar. There's a really good atmosphere between malle moto riders. We help each other out, borrow each other's tools, it's not really a competition. The most important things are to stay healthy and get to the finish line. Once you have achieved those two objectives, you can worry about your position.”