Sainct targets fourth Dakar success

Three-times Dakar Rally winner Richard Sainct has his sights set on another victory when the world’s most famous motorcycle race reaches the capital of Senegal on January 18.

Frenchman Sainct goes into tomorrow’s opening day from Auvergne to Narbonne on the Gauloises KTM with one thing on his mind.

Sainct said: “After winning even once finishing anything less than first is a disappointment, but winning a Dakar is always a very emotional experience, a huge challenge and that is what keeps me motivated. I won’t be starting to finish second.”

But with this year’s event billed as the most difficult for 19 years, Sainct knows he will not have things easy.

“The route looks long, varied and technical and that suits me just fine,” he told www.eurosport.com.

“My biggest rival is myself. My biggest fears are of crashing, running into a mechanical problem or getting lost.

“After that there are 11 KTM factory riders, all of whom could win. Of those I’d say that in addition to Fabrizio Meoni, Nani Roma and Cyril Despres are the biggest threats.”