FINKE AND YOU’LL MISS HIM
Record sixth desert title all in a day’s work for Gold Coast motorsport star
GOLD Coast motorsport ace Toby Price has clinched a record sixth Finke Desert Race bike crown, conquering the treacherous outback course to win by more than 10 minutes. Having been quickest in the day-one leg from Alice Springs to Finke – a tiny Northern Territory town where competitors camped overnight on Sunday – the 30-year-old was on the first bike to return to Alice Springs yesterday afternoon. “I’m stoked,” he said of becoming the record holder for most bike wins at the event.
GOLD Coast motorsport ace Toby Price has clinched a record sixth Finke Desert Race bike crown, conquering the treacherous outback course to win by more than 10 minutes.
Having been quickest in the day-one leg from Alice Springs to Finke – a tiny Northern Territory town where competitors camped overnight on Sunday – the 30-year-old was on the first bike to return to Alice Springs yesterday afternoon.
Price was marginally quicker on the second leg to finish the race in a total time of four hours, five minutes and 44.8 seconds.
“I’m stoked,” he said of becoming the record holder for most bike wins at the event.
“Time to kick back and relax a little bit and celebrate with the team.
“I can’t thank KTM enough, they always put in a massive effort and have everything ready to go for us.”
Price had revealed via Twitter his nerves after a prolonged break, having suffered a broken leg at the 2017 Dakar Rally.
“I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous lining up after 24 months away from the bike category,” Price wrote on Sunday night in Finke.
But he managed to navigate his way through the various hurdles to extend his ultimate lead on second-placed Alice Springs competitor David Walsh by the finish.
Price’s victory came as a resounding response to a disappointing result in the car edition of the race, in which a power steering failure yesterday dashed his chances.
Having been one of the quickest drivers on the first leg on Sunday, his crew executed a late-night gearbox and transmission change before the mechanical failure.
Price described it as “a hard pill to swallow” but bounced back in the ideal way once he was helicoptered back to Finke for the bike finale.
Father and son duo Shannon and Ian Rentsch won the car class to successfully defend their title.