Name: Hélder Rodrigues
Date of Birth: February 28, 1978
Nationality: Portuguese
Machine: Yahama WRF 450
Debut: 2006: Lisbon (Portugal) to Dakar (Senegal)
Best Dakar: 2011: 3rd place
2012 Dakar Number: #3
Hélder Rodrigues is the most chilled-out guy in the bivouac, but that all changes when the Portuguese gets out on the stage. Away from the race Hélder has a smile for everyone but when the clock is running it’s all business.
Hélder made his Dakar debut when the desert classic came to his hometown of Lisbon in 2006. Hélder clocked up an impressive top-10 finish in his first-ever attempt at the Dakar. Things have been getting better and better even since for Hélder and last year he recorded his first podium finish.
Hélder’s place on the podium kick-started a great year that saw him crowed the FIM Cross Country Rally World Championship. 2011 ended for Hélder with him being named Portugal’s Sportsman of the Year. Winning the public vote and beating countrymen such as Cristiano Ronaldo was the perfect way for Hélder to complete a memorable 12 months.
Hélder arrives in Argentina as the most likely contender to break up Marc Coma and Cyril Despres’ recent domination of the Dakar Rally.
Fast Fact: Hélder spend 23 days in an Argentinian hospital in 2007 following a nasty crash while out on a raid. While on the operating table surgeon’s pumped 11 litres of blood into Hélder to keep him alive. During the recent Dakars in South America the biker has always taken the chance to pay a visit to the doctors who helped fix him up.
Best quote: “Finishing in the top three was very rewarding but now my objective is to finish even better. Once again I have spent the whole season trying to improve. The thing that keeps me coming back to the Dakar is the insane level of difficulty involved in completing the race. I have prepared as best I can for the complexities of the rally but you just can’t say what will happen out there. I haven’t changed much since my first Dakar and I still prepare my own bike in Lisbon before every race.” Hélder raises the bar.
Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
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