2016 Dakar Rally brutal motorcycle crash – Video

 

35-year-old Gonçalves is an off-road motorcycle racing veteran hailing from Portugal. Her is what he has to say.

 

“My 2014 Dakar came to an end on stage five with my bike on fire. But I put that behind me and I quickly began to focus on the next Dakar. I’ve prepared very well. Some changes have been made to the bike. It is a machine that is constantly being developed.

We are ready, with this bike, to be in the battle. What is important is that Honda wins the Dakar.

Getting a strong start to the rally is important in order to always be in a good position. We also have to work as a team and the cohesion in the squad is superb. Marc Coma will carry the number one, so he is clearly the man to beat. He is consistent and he rarely makes a mistake. It is going to be hard but we will be there to fight.

As for me, I have recovered from my crash in Morocco. It wasn’t a big crash but I suffered injured ribs and I bruised a tendon in my arm. But I will be healthy for the Dakar.”