In November, Nicola Dutto conquered Baja California when he accomplished the legendary Baja 1000. In January, he’ll attempt to full one other run alongside the fabled Paris to Dakar route when he takes half within the 2024 Africa Eco Race.
Dutto is paralysed beneath the waist, a results of a crash on the 2010 Italian Baja that broke his spinal twine. Previous to the damage, he gained the FIM European Bajas championship twice in 2008 and 2009 together with a pair of nationwide cross-country rally titles in his native Italy. Regardless of his ailment, he finally resumed his profession by competing within the 2011 Baja 1000 in a UTV earlier than tackling two-wheel racing as soon as once more, utilizing a customized bike with a modified seat and roll cage to maintain him upright. He additionally has a group of “ghost riders”, with one using forward to supply a protected path whereas two others observe him to make sure his security.
His restoration then took him to the legendary Dakar Rally in 2019, although he was disqualified early on. The next 12 months, he tackled the Africa Eco Race and efficiently reached the end to turn out to be the occasion’s first paraplegic bike finisher.
On the Baja 1000, Dutto completed sixth within the Professional Moto 30 class. His effort was broadly adopted by the desert racing group as he and his group navigated the second longest course in race historical past. By the top, he and Dutch ironman Wouter-jan Van Dijk had been maybe the 2 largest tales of the race; Dutto described himself on the end as now having the “Coronary heart of Baja California.”
“There isn’t any higher feeling than ending a race, however this was not simply any race; it was the longest in your complete SCORE Worldwide sequence, the Baja 1000,” wrote Dutto whereas reflecting on the race two months later. “However higher than the problem is the expertise that solely Baja races can provide; they’re like no different race on the planet. They require the whole lot you can provide to have the ability to end them. It’s value all the trouble, many sleepless nights, many doubts, however above all, it’s value experiencing it with the dearest individuals.”
His Baja crew consisted of fellow rally raid opponents and former FIM Bajas rivals like Julián Villarrubia Garcia, Rubén Saldaña Goñi, and Tiziano Internó. As a result of Africa Eco Race going down concurrently the 2024 Dakar Rally, Internó is not going to enter the previous, whereas Goñi was eligible for Dakar and raced the 2023 version however elected to rejoin Dutto.
The Africa Eco Race follows the unique path from Europe to Dakar, Senegal, outlined by the Dakar Rally from inception to its transfer to South America in 2009. The 2024 version begins in Monaco on 30 December and ends in Dakar on 14 January.
