Who?d have thought getting ready for a major international motorcycle competition would be so complicated" We?re eight months away from the Dakar Rally, and we?re already balls-deep in Dakar prep and general rally-bike related faffery. And with the first Dakar qualification rally looming (Andalucía Rally, 12th ? 16th May 2021), we?re dangerously close to panic stations.

If you haven?t already read about our plans to compete in the 2022 Dakar Rally, you can do so here. Or watch the video here. Don?t worry, we?ve got plenty more video content coming your way. As I?m sure you’ll appreciate though, it takes ages to edit (Fagan?s burning the candle at both ends at the moment, trying to get as much up on the YouTube channel as pos), so I thought I?d give you an update on where we are with the Dakar prep.
First things first, we?ve finally got our International Race licenses. And what a ball-ache that was. Before you can even apply for it, you?ve got to have a medical and do an anti-doping course. On the surface of it, that sounds reasonably standard doesn?t it" I?ve done a few big international races and had to have medicals before, but none like this. For international ?rally raid? events, which is what the Dakar Rally is, it?s a bit more in depth. They say you need an echocardiogram test and an exercise tolerance electrocardiogram test with a cardiologists report. That?s on top of the normal eye test and doctors medical examination. And that stuff...