Another podium in Dakar with Tosha Shalayna: “I have a bittersweet feeling, but sometimes we are selfish and normalize everything”

Tosha Shalayna There was little need to look for the Touareg to win on two wheels in this rally dakar. He started more than 15 minutes behind the leaders, but only a miracle would give him the option. That’s why I was able to approach the 12th stage very calmly. I was aware that everything was happening in a fight ricky brabechis partner slingand Luciano Benavidez.

“They risked everything. So it was already known to both Luciano, who was driving in front, and the driver behind, that they were going to give it their all and give it their all. And well, I was in a bit of a no man’s landDaniel and I had time to spare and they were very far away, 15 minutes away. Had to be realistic yesterday, the distance was 15 minutes,Something very strange must have happened.“He said this when he arrived at the camp.”

“I went at my pace, I stayed calm, I knew they were going to play, They were constantly risking their lives on a stage full of stones. After seeing his line, Ricky caught up to me and I pulled away. In the end, of course he’s my teammate, but if Luciano had come, in the end I would have let them continue and let them figure it out, right? ”

What do I need to win?

Shalayna added: Barring a catastrophe on the final day, we will be on the podium for the second year in a row.. So we have very positive growth. The Valencian analyzed what it would take to one day win the Dakar.

“Eventually you always have to refine things, but Of course sanctions didn’t help. As for the strategy, it was a little off.Because I can no longer stand still and follow the two drivers on important stages. us I can’t waste any more timeThen it was of no use.”

”I wasn’t fast enough on some stages. And although I was happy with the podium, it was of course bittersweet. And what I told them before is that a few years ago I was having a hard time running and now third place is a bittersweet taste. “Sometimes we are selfish and normalize everything, but we have to be willing to take that third place.”

Brabec’s strategy

Ricky Brabec is almost certain to be the winner of this Dakar. On stage 11 he took a risk and stopped to pass Benavidez, allowing him to start behind Benavidez on the penultimate stage. He took a gamble and it paid off. Shalayna believes it was a great decision, despite the risks.

“And I saw it a lot. At the end of the day, it’s a long stage where you don’t know what’s going to happen. I think it’s always better to start a little further back.” I think Luciano probably pushed too far forward and made a mistake.. But you never know because you might end up wasting your time leaving the next day and trying to make it an easier stage than planned. And because you don’t get a “bonus”, you end up losing time. After all, it is very complex, so of course you can have a strategy, but you also need luck, ”he said in conclusion.