It was the toughest desert race ever-Taylor

FREDERICK KEBADIRETSE
Staff Writer | Monday June 24, 2013 00:00

 

Taylor said he had to work extra hard and under pressure to maintain his lead in a very tough terrain with newly added sharp curves. He said a bit of luck was on his side as his main challenger had two flat tires, losing time in the process, something that allowed him to pull away at the top. ' It was really tight at the beginning, we were so close.However I managed to pull a gap after that guy had two flat tyres and I managed to win the first day,' he said after winning yesterday. He said the changed route this year did not make things any simple for the drivers, as they had to drive very carefully while at the same time making sure that they do not lose the route and get lost.

'When I was here last year, I thought the terrain was the most difficult, but it became even more tougher this year,' he said.He said the pressure however eased up on him on the final day as he had been leading for a while and managed to drive smoothly without encountering any mechanical problems. Meanwhile Taylor said he would not be competing at this year's Dakar Challenge as he had competed there back in 2011 in a different category.

'Unfortunately I won't be there because I competed in a truck back in 2011,' he said. He said the rules of the challenge do not allow him to enter in a different category.The winner of the desert race gains automatic entry to the Dakar challenge coming later in the year.