Nador – Er Rachidia
2nd January 2006

For the fourth year Team Touratech rider, Nick Plumb, has started the first African stage of the Dakar Rallye.

After a long 237km liaison stage the competitors entered the first of many sandy and dusty special stages. The special stage, the longest so far in the rally at 314km, forced the riders to use the new navigation systems for the first time.

“I was really scared about using the GPS this year” said Nick “In previous years we’ve had waypoints to head for and a directional arrow to follow. This year all we have is a cap heading but you can be going at the correct cap heading but still be in the totally wrong place”

“I was worrying about nothing though because I didn’t have a problem with the navigation in the end. I didn’t enjoy this stage though, it was very rocky and the dust seemed to get everywhere. I was glad to finish the day”

Nick made good time on the special stage and after a further 121 km liaison he finished ahead of the truck carrying his spares (and all of the other riders using the truck) so had a much deserved rest before they arrived.

Although Nicks bike had little work to be done on it his mechanic, Bernie Wright, did not get an early night as he showed true Dakar spirit by staying up through the night helping Team Desert Rose fix a bike.

“I hit my first real problem tonight” Said Nick “I left buying my sleeping bag until the last minute and didn’t buy the right one. I was so cold that I got no sleep. Luckily I found a sleeping bag that belonged to a friend (Charles Heatley who unfortunately had to retire through injury) and spent the night in this next to the generator. I think I got about 1 hr of sleep”

Nick was the highest BMW to finish and now sits in 61st place overall with Race to Dakar riders Simon Pavey, Matt Hall and Charlie Boorman finishing 136th, 133rd and 134th respectivley.