Name: Mohammed Balooshi
Date of Birth: September 19, 1979
Nationality: United Arab Emirates
Machine: KTM 450 Rally Replica
Dakar Debut: 2012 Mar del Plata (Argentina) to Lima (Peru)
2012 Dakar Number: #67
Following in the tyre tracks of Nassar Al-Attiyah, Mohammed Balooshi is hoping to become the latest Arabian import to shake up the Dakar Rally leaderboard.
Mohammed has made quite a name for himself on the Arabian off-road scene over the years. Victory in the Arab Motocross Championship and the Middle East Rally was recently backed up with a podium finish at the Qatar International Baja.
Nothing except getting out there and experiencing the Dakar can give you a true idea of the race’s unique challenges but Mohammed has been doing all the pre-race training he can. As part of his Dakar preparations Mohammed underwent an intense desert workshop under the watchful eye of five-time FIM Motocross World Champion Georges Jobé.
Fast Fact: Mohammed did not take up riding until he was 20-years-old which is a ripe old age compared with most of the bikers at the Dakar. He has however been quick to make up for lost time and can be found in competitive action most weeks.
Eyes open: “I had a training camp in Switzerland recently which helped me a lot. I’m also banking on my experience of having competed in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge races. I know the Dakar is going to be tough, in fact it’s the toughest off-road race in the world so my objective is to finish this gruelling event. I’ll need to take plenty of calculated risks and there will be no easy days but I’m ready for the challenges ahead.
Timor Gafurov/Red Bull Photofiles
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