You will definitely go off course in Dakar, says Harith Noah

After the best finish by an Indian last year, the rider says he now has a better understanding of how to prepare for next month’s competition.

Earlier this year, Harith Noah entered record books for securing the best finish by an Indian at the gruelling Dakar Rally. Racing in only his second Dakar, the 28-year-old from Shoranur in Kerala finished a creditable 20th after enduring a bad crash, beating CS Santosh's 34th-place finish in 2018.

Harith Noah

While results and records, by his own admission, do not mean much to him, Noah is eyeing a “good finish” despite COVID-19 throwing his training off gear. Currently in south of France, Noah, who is supported by Scott Sports, is gearing up for what many believe is the toughest off-road challenge in motorsport.

Before he takes his leaner and meaner version of TVS RTR 450 in the wilderness of Saudi Arabian ergs and dunes, Noah spoke to Hindustan Times on his learning from previous Dakar appearances, goals for Dakar 2022 beginning on January 2, and more.

Excerpts:

What have you been up to post Dakar 2021?

Post Dakar, I came home in Kerala and trained a lot at the track I have got at home. I did a lot of road cycling, even participated in a few cycling races to keep myself motivated. I also did a lot of fitness training. I came to Europe in September; first to France and then to Morocco for Rallye du Maroc in October and later for a training session there. I was supposed to go to Morocco for the third time for the second training session but unfortunately Morocco closed its borders and we went to Spain. I completed my last training session in Spain a couple of days ago. Now, I am tapering off a little bit to preserve my body. I will do close to nothing in the last week before Dakar since the body needs to be properly recharged for the punishment.

You crashed in your last two Dakars and even lost your way in the desert in 2021. How do you look back at those incidents?

Yes, in 2020 I crashed and raced with a swollen eye. This year, I crashed in Stage 4 and tore my quad muscles. Mistakes are part of Dakar; you will definitely go off course and there will be navigation errors. I am expecting a tough navigation this year too. In fact, that is one of the reasons why I like cross country rally. Dakar is not like motocross or a closed-circuit rally where you need just fitness and skills. Here, apart from the obvious skills and physical fitness, you need good mental reserves as well as navigation skills. It’s a combination of many things that make the playing field a little more diverse and even.

Dakar 2021 was arguably the toughest in terms of navigation. Even the trucks got lost despite hundreds of bikes, cars and SSVs making the track fairly visible for them. So, you can imagine how tough it is. I am happy I completed it well.

What have been your learning or takeaways from your Dakar appearances?

The biggest learning is to get back on the feet after being knocked down. If you have a close call and you take two hours to get over it, you’ll fall way behind. I try to stay in the moment. I don't think of what has happened for too long. Try to stay calm when situations are not perfect. If you get nervous, you will worsen the situation. Thanks to my experience, I now have better understanding of the preparation needed to do well. I now know what kind of food to eat, what kind of lenses, gloves and gear to wear, what kind of weather to expect and so on. At my first Dakar, I didn't know that we were supposed to start at 5am. It was extremely cold and we had to ride 100-300 km. So, cold weather clothing is very important. This time I have got a skiing suit, so I hope to stay warm. Ahead of my second Dakar, I had never ridden on dunes. This time, I have that experience and I am hoping to make that count.

What are your expectations from Dakar 2022 and what goals have you set for yourself?

It will be a tough race for sure. They have included the marathon section on the second day of the race itself, unlike the usual second week. I am expecting the first week to be harder than the second. There'll be no respite from the get-go, but I am definitely looking forward to riding in the sand and the dunes. Navigation, like I said, will be the key.

My first goal will be to finish the race well. I am not too bothered about where I finish. I will take it stage by stage, kilometre by kilometre. I plan to stick to my processes, and the results will take care of themselves.

Tell us something about your training in Morocco.

My first visit was to participate in Rally de Moroc, which gave me an opportunity to ride for five days in desert. Then, I went there for a 10-day training stint. I trained in the dunes near Merzuga in the open desert. Morocco is perfect for rallying, more so because you can do a lot of road book rallying.

How did COVID affect your schedule?

The restrictions definitely forced me to alter my training schedule. I was supposed to visit Morocco for another training session, but that couldn’t happen because they closed their borders. I did some road book rallying in France; it is lot slower here but that’s the best you can do. The situation is not ideal but I guess it is the same for everyone and I’d like to make the most of what I have.

Last Dakar, CS Santosh had a bad crash and suffered a terrible head injury. Do the risks that accompany your sport ever weigh you down?

Yes, they do. They are always at the back of your head. Santosh and I crashed in the same stage (Stage 4). I am aware of the risks involved in doing what I do; that's what I signed up for. But, I try not to think about it when I am riding. When crashes like Santosh's happen, you are obviously a bit shaken and you begin to question your choices, but I don't dwell on such thoughts for too long.