DAKAR 2004

Commented the reigning French national enduro champion, "that was great – I really enjoyed myself. My result should silence those who said that a 450 wouldn’t be able do anything in the desert." If Fretigne was thrilled, Sainct was starting to get frustrated. "The problem was that, because of all the villages, there were too many GPS points to make a difference with the navigation. There are still two long specials left, so the overall standings could change, but the opportunity to pull back needs to present itself quickly."

From Ayoun to Tidjikja it was Cyril Despres who proved the fastest, winning the special 1’23 ahead of Alfie Cox, with Roma third (at 4’14) and Richard Sainct fourth (at 6’29). Overall Roma increased his lead slightly on Sainct to 9’40, while Despres (3rd at 41’25) increased his lead marginally over Cox (at 43’43). Commented Cyril Despres, "I rode a good special and avoided making any mistakes. At one point Nani went off in the wrong direction for 30 km – he must have ridden very hard to come back on us as I rode the last part with Richard and we were really pushing the limits."

All the top riders agreed that the Tidjikja – Nouakchott special would be the last one on which anyone could ‘make the difference’.
In the end Fabrizio Meoni won it, but overall nothing changed, with Roma finishing just behind Sainct to control the race. Commented Sainct, "Given that we are all on the same bikes, and that there was no real navigation today, there wasn’t much I could do to pull back time and now it is looking very good for Roma. He just has to stay with me to Lac Rose and he wins the Dakar."

For his last chance, from Nouakchott to Dakar, Sainct made one last desperate attempt to get away from his ‘shadow’ - but all to no avail. He won the special – but not by enough – just 2’05 ahead of Nani – to give the Spaniard a comfortable 5’02 lead going into the last short 27 km special. Behind them Despres maintained his slim margin over Cox. Commented the three times winner, Richard Sainct, "I did everything I could to make the break.

Unfortunately Nani caught me up and once he was in my slipstream it was impossible to shake him off." The 27 km Dakar – Dakar special is normally considered a formality by the top riders, but it nearly proved disastrous for Sainct. "Half way through the special the bike stopped dead and I spent 10 ‘sweaty’ minutes trying to find the problem. For a while I thought I was out of the race." Meanwhile ‘Lady Luck’ continued to shine on Roma all the way to the podium.
Commented Nani, "I have often thought of his victory but now that it has happened I can’t describe my emotions. When I was little my mother gave me a book about the history of the Dakar, from its creation to 1985. Every evening I read that book and in my sleep I dreamt about it. Now it is a dream come true."