Dakar Price is just right

In winning the 2016 Dakar Rally, motorcyclist Toby Price covered 9300km in stifling heat while negotiating treacherous terrain and headache- inducing altitudes.

And it was all on three to four hours sleep a night for two weeks.

Perhaps more amazing is the fact he wants to do it all again next year.

In January, the 29- year- old became the first Australian to win the famous race in South America in any category when he romped home almost 40 minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

Price began planning his title defence almost immediately.

“It’s like an addiction. It draws you back and you just want to go again,” the NSW Hunter Valley product said.

“When Dakar finishes, the preparations basically begin straight away.

“Since January, the thought process has been in place for 2017.”

It’s been a remarkable rise for the Red Bull off- road rider.

Three- and- a- half years ago he was in a hospital bed after crashing during a race, breaking three vertebrae in his neck and narrowly avoiding becoming a quadriplegic.

All eyes are on him leading into his title defence beginning on January 2.

“I’m going to attack it the same as I did this year. That system’s working for me and I try not to stress about too much.”