Dakar Portaits - Skyler Howes - #Dakar2024
The fifth edition of the Dakar in Saudi Arabia promises to push the machine harder than any of the previous ones.
More information:
https://www.dakar.com
https://www.facebook.com/Dakar
https://www.twitter.com/Dakar
https://www.instagram.com/DakarRally
#Dakar2024
© Amaury Sport Organisation - https://www.aso.fr
More information:
https://www.dakar.com
https://www.facebook.com/Dakar
https://www.twitter.com/Dakar
https://www.instagram.com/DakarRally
#Dakar2024
© Amaury Sport Organisation - https://www.aso.fr
Transcript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 Yeah, I guess the dream that every young rider, I guess,
00:09 dreams of is this, right?
00:11 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:15 The Dakar definitely changed my life.
00:17 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:23 My first Dakar was a big learning curve for me
00:27 because I had just come off of winning the Sonora rally,
00:32 winning the Baja rally.
00:34 And I thought for sure that when I come into the Dakar rally
00:38 that I'm going to be some fast guy
00:39 and I'm going to have it all figured out.
00:41 And I was really wrong.
00:45 I live more in one day at the Dakar
00:48 than someone might their entire life.
00:51 It's incredible.
00:53 I separated my shoulder.
00:55 Luckily, I had a good result there on one of the stages
00:59 and got the support to go back and got a ninth place,
01:01 sold everything I owned, went back and got fifth place.
01:05 Had another tough year again with the crash,
01:07 but then came out strong last year
01:10 and nailed a podium, which is one
01:12 of the greatest accomplishments of my entire life.
01:14 [APPLAUSE]
01:17 I led six of the stages, and I was
01:19 able to control the lead of the Dakar for half of the race.
01:24 It came down to the last two days
01:27 on the deciding factor on who was going to win.
01:29 And still, the win was only decided after a few seconds.
01:33 So it was incredible.
01:37 Looking back at every single Dakar,
01:40 I've been able to see what I've done wrong
01:43 and learn from those lessons or mistakes,
01:46 gain that experience.
01:47 I'm still pretty new at this.
01:49 A lot of these other guys have been doing the race and rally
01:52 since I turned professional back when I was 20 years old.
01:54 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:57 I feel super comfortable.
02:01 I hopped right on it.
02:02 It took me a couple hours of some setting adjustments,
02:05 and I was like, yep, ready to race, no problem.
02:07 I mean, I spent almost half of my life on the Japanese brand,
02:11 and I feel at home there.
02:13 Yeah, it's like I was meant to be here.
02:17 I know for sure I can win, because after the performance
02:19 last year, if I finish on the podium, for sure I can win it.
02:24 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:31 (whooshing)