After both crossing the finish of the 2015 Dakar Rally, Simon and Llewellyn Pavey made history as the first father/son duo to complete the grueling event together.
Running under the banner of SP FiFTYONE Racing, the duo both had their KTM rally bikes shod with Desert Race tyres and Bib Mousse puncture protection from sponsor Michelin.
The team had their fair share of problems in the 2015 Dakar, but thanks to some sheer grit and determination, they made it right to the very end.
The final stage had to be cut short by organisers after torrential rain made the farm tracks leading to Buenos Aires extremely slippery. The #75 bike was blighted by electrical problems in the latter stages of the race, forcing Simon and Llel to tow it along the final kilometres of the shortened 101km stage, a very difficult task considering the extremely muddy conditions!
The Dakar is always going to be hard, but this year saw a large number of riders retire after organisers sent them across a wet salt lake in Uyuni. Subsequently, salt was able to work its way into almost all parts of the bike. Had it not been for their technical know-how and resourcefulness, the Pavey duo would also most probably have succumbed on this stage.
In what will surely be labelled as one of the hardest Dakars in recent years, Simon takes his tally to 10, whilst Llewellyn received something of a baptism of fire in his first ever ride of this extreme adventure. Can they do it again next year? Watch this space….
