Yamaha rider was once again brilliant and overcame all obstacles
António Maio successfully completed the 46th edition of the Dakar Rally. What was his fifth participation in the world's longest and most difficult off-road marathon was very positive, as he managed to fulfill the goal he had set himself by finishing the race in 18th place in the absolute motorcycle standings, reaching the coveted Top 20.
Despite the harshness and demands of the race, the Yamaha rider overcame all adversity with resilience and always showed a very consistent pace. He faced several difficulties throughout the competition, but was always able to solve all the setbacks.
The 12th and final stage, which took place around Yanbu, consisted of a short 144km selective sector which António Maio completed without difficulty, coming in 22nd place. Over the course of 15 days, more than 4,500 timed kilometers were contested, where the Yamaha rider needed 57h48m33 to complete all the routes.
"We've reached the end of another Dakar Rally. The last stage was fast. I picked up a lot of dust at the start and some dangerous rocks, but I tried to manage the pace as much as possible because I wanted to make sure that 18th place didn't slip away. I'm very happy with this result. Bruno always worked very well and I didn't have a single problem with the bike. The situations I had were due to normal race incidents. We're very happy because we did an excellent job. It was a very tough Dakar, but we were always up to it and we didn't make any big mistakes. I'd like to thank everyone for their support, because it was your strength that encouraged us to carry on. I'd like to say a special thank you to all my sponsors, because without them it would have been impossible to be here. A big thank you to my family and friends for always being by my side. I would also like to dedicate this result to Filipe Almeida from Yamaha Motor Portugal," said António Maio at the end of the 46th edition of the Dakar Rally.
After the podium ceremony, which took place today in Yanbu, António Maio is preparing to return to Portugal and will arrive in Lisbon on Saturday, January 20, at 7pm.
Automatic translation of the Portuguese version available on www.todoterreno.pt
Source: António Maio's official press release
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