As seen in The Advpulse: Is it completely insane to attempt a seven-day rally raid in a stock Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro across a desert? or a grand journey?

According to Vanessa Ruck, a British rider who has done just that, it’s the latter. Vanessa, aka The Girl on a Bike, is an inspirational rider – having endured multiple hip and shoulder reconstructions after a horrific car accident, Vanessa’s obsession with motorcycles grew and has progressed from everyday rider to taking on some of the world’s most extreme races such as Romaniacs, Rally du Maroc and the Tunisia Desert Challenge. 

Battling dry riverbeds, sand, camel grass, dunes, and long distances over rough terrain every day, Vanessa finished the 1000 Dunas rally alongside her teammate Aled Price, becoming the first female to complete the rally on a standard adventure motorcycle.

The 1000 Dunas starts in Granada, Spain, takes riders across the Moroccan desert to Merzouga, then loops back to Granada for the finish covering over 1,500km. It’s a seven-day rally where roadbook navigation skills reign supreme and the limits of riders and their bikes are tested. Riders are ranked according to navigation accuracy and whether they finish each stage. Vanessa came in 8^th out of eleven finishers in the advanced adventure bike Hard Trail category.

Tiger 900 Rally Pro vs Desert Rally Raid

Vanessa rode the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro motorcycle from the UK to Spain carrying all her camping gear, tools, and spares with her. Then, she spent one day familiarizing herself with the bike off-road at the Triumph Adventure Experience in Spain, did some minor tweaks on the Tiger, and lined up at the 1000 Dunas start.

“Ivan Cervantes, the winner of the Hard Trail category, had his Tiger modified to perfection, while mine was pretty much stock – I used the lower seat setting, we shed a little bit off weight, put handguards and different tires on, and that was that,” Vanessa shares.

According to the 1000 Dunas organizers, this event is all about being the ultimate test of how far you can go, and not all riders are expected to finish every single day. The roadbook navigation is tricky, the terrain is hard, and the distances are long.

“Most people were there on more typical, 450cc rally bikes. I was part of a very small group of nutters on large motorcycles – in total, there were only eleven riders finishing the rally in the Hard Trail category,” Vanessa says.

According to her, the terrain was incredibly challenging at times, and recovering a heavy Tiger isn’t quite the same as a smaller, lighter 450 or even a Husky 701. “We had a section of small, uneven dunes covered in camel grass where Aled and I were in full survival mode. We got more and more tired, so it was teamwork to recover the bikes at one point – the bikes handled the terrain like absolute beasts, but when you have to pick up a large adventure motorcycle several times a day, the heat and fatigue add up very quickly,” Vanessa explains.

Luckily, the bikes held up well despite a few crashes and hard terrain. Vanessa had a minor electrical issue, while her teammate Aled’s chain had snapped and he’d burned a clutch at one point, but all of these issues could be fixed in time for the next start.

The Adventure of a Thousand Dunes

Vanessa shares she would have perhaps hesitated a little more before saying “yes” to entering the 1000 Dunas on an adventure bike if she’d known just how brutal it was going to be. “Then again, I’m not one to shy away from a challenge, so I was determined to give it my all to get over that finish line. However, while I think going into the desert with rocky riverbeds, boulder fields, dunes, hill climbs, and sand on a Tiger is brave, doing it alone would have been stupid, which is why I chose to ride with Aled,” Vanessa explains.

Riding as a team, Vanessa and Aled covered the distance and made it to the finish line every single day, although Aled missed one with his burned clutch leaving Vanessa to continue 180km solo. Each day their arrival at the bivouac elicited cheers and support from other riders on smaller motorcycles. According to Vanessa, they had no idea whether the Tigers would hold or whether they would be capable enough for a rally raid like this – yet day in and day out, the motorcycles just plowed on.

“The Tiger is so powerful and comfortable on the big, open tracks, and we were especially grateful for heated grips and seats during liaison stages as it gets cold in the desert in the morning. We learned a lot about how to ride these beasts in the desert and how to handle them in the sand. It was brutal, and I’m crazy proud to have fought on and made it to the end!”, Vanessa shares.

It’s not hard to imagine that wrestling a heavy 900cc adventure motorcycle over sand dunes rather than a lighter bike is a much harder job. In addition to fighting it out in the desert, Vanessa and Aled had to do their own motorcycle maintenance and repairs like changing tires or cleaning air filters every night. They had help from the Cervantes’ mechanics team with the bigger issues, but other than that, the riders went at it malle moto-style.

“The feeling of finishing 1000 Dunas is absolutely incredible. Male or female, getting across that finish line is an achievement. Doing it as a female just makes me feel really proud for other women out there and hopefully show some inspiration and encourage others to give it a go. Sure, I have to fight a little harder, I’m smaller and not as strong as a guy, but women absolutely can do it, and it’s a very powerful feeling. I’m utterly exhausted right now but buzzing at the same time,” says Vanessa.

“I have to admit I’ve fallen in love with the Tiger, too. The rally was designed to find your limits, and actually, I didn’t find the limits of the Tiger. I now desperately want to work out how I could steal it from Triumph!,” she shares.

As she recovers from the 1000 Dunas challenge, Vanessa is planning an adventure motorcycle tour in South America soon. Come 2023, Vanessa hopes to build her own rally bike and enter the Morocco Desert Challenge, one of the biggest desert races out there.

For the rest of the ADV Pulse article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The More Bikes: The first female to ever finish on a motorcycle, British rider, racer, and explorer Vanessa Ruck, 36, has finished the 1000 DUNAS RAID in Spain.

Vanessa – also known as ‘The Girl on a Bike’ – took on the challenge riding a Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro motorcycle, between Granada, Spain and Morocco after only taking up riding motorcycles seven years ago.

Adding to the Tiger’s growing roster of racing achievements, Triumph’s off-road ambassador, Iván Cervantes, won the won the Hard Trail category on his specialised Tiger 900, with 1390 out of 1455 total points., while Triumph enthusiast and mechanic Josu Orozko, gained 3rd position in the Trail category on his own MY12 Tiger 800 XC. British Clubman Enduro Champion, Aled Price, also completed the Hard Trail with Vanessa Ruck on his standard Tiger 900 Rally Pro.

The 1,800km cross-country rally raid took Vanessa seven days to complete, showcasing her determination and the Tiger’s class leading capability, with over 70 hours of riding across unpredictable terrain, including loose rocks, ruts, riverbeds, and sand dunes. Using both mechanical and riding skills, Vanessa had to do her own daily servicing on the bike, from chains and tyre changes to bolt checks and daily filters. But perhaps the most challenging of all was the size of the bike, which at 201kg, was more than three times Vanessa’s body weight. In tough conditions, this made control of the bike and picking it up from inevitable drops on soft sand, extremely difficult.

Ms. Ruck commented: “The 1000 DUNAS was harder than expected, and I ultimately ended up riding for survival. It took every strength in my mind and body to reach the end, and it feels like an incredible achievement to be able to push both myself and the bike to its limits. The fact that I would jump on another Tiger 900 Rally Pro tomorrow says it all – I have a great love for the bike.”

Vanessa found her love for motorbikes seven years ago while recovering from a cycling accident. After a lengthy recovery involving five hip and two shoulder surgeries, she found new adventures on a motorcycle, and never looked back. Having no previous rally experience, Vanessa took on the Qatar International Baja, Rallye du Maroc and then became the first woman to have ever competed in the Tunisia Desert Challenge and has competed in numerous rallies since, including the notorious Red Bull Romaniacs and Dinaric Rally. She has since made it her mission to break barriers and expectations, whether through upskilling her knowledge of motorcycle mechanics or mastering unforgiving terrain.

Ms Ruck continued: “My accident was the hardest thing I ever had to go through, and my love for riding has meant I can embrace new challenges that are within my control. Mental attitude is a huge contributor to success – for me, staying positive and not being afraid to fail have allowed me to continue to push my limits to places I never thought I could go.”

Before she reached the start line, Vanessa had prepared by riding the Tiger 900 all the way from South Wales to the Triumph Adventure Experience in Spain to complete a few hours of training. There she made minor adjustments to the stock Tiger 900 to ensure its versatility and reliability throughout the rally. This included fitting rally navigation, extra strong hand guards and fitting off road focused tyres as well as removing panniers and rails for speed and making deep sand recovery easier.

With its generous ground clearance, excellent power to weight ratio, dedicated high specification Showa suspension set up, sump guard and engine protection, rally off-road pro mode which disables ABS and traction control, and lightweight Brembo Stylema brakes, the Tiger 900 is as capable off-road as it is on.

General Manager of Triumph Motorcycles UK & Ireland, Devron Boulton, applauded Vanessa’s achievement: “In this unforgiving and challenging terrain, Vanessa tackled the event with skill and bravery. Her efforts were outstanding, and were well matched by the performance of the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. Congratulations to all four Tiger riders, and the teams supporting them at the event.”

For the rest of the More Bikes article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The Super7Moto: The British firm culminates its participation in the demanding raid with much more than a victory. The 1000 Dunas has tested the physical and psychological capacities of dozens of expert and amateur pilots, as well as the performance of their mounts.

Seven intense days, between October 22 and 29, in which the participants have covered between 1,500 and 2,500 km. Among them, four lovers of two wheels with the most varied profiles at the controls of different Triumph Tigers: the five-time Enduro World Champion Iván Cervantes with his Tiger 900 Rally Pro who won the Hard Trail; Josu Orozko, an amateur mechanic by profession with a Tiger 800 XC for more than 10 years who has made a podium in the Trail category; and Aled Price and Vanessa Ruck, two semi-professional riders who traveled by road from South Wales to Granada on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro to take part in the raid and who have made Vanessa the first female ‘Finisher’ with a motorcycle of more than 200 kg and totally series.

The passion for motorcycles and for adventure, as well as the desire to excel, have united the 66 participants of the 1000 Dunes raid in what has been one of the most demanding and exciting experiences of their lives, covering all kinds of lands across two continents. The Plateau de Rekam, the infinite slopes of Bouarfa or the majestic dunes of Merzouga have been some of the impressive territories that have been crossed. An experience in which Triumph, which continues to take steps in its firm commitment to off-road, has been more than victorious.

The effort and work of the drivers who faced this challenge on the back of their Triumphs has translated into enormously positive results in a particularly tough edition. And although the difficulty of the route has taken its toll on part of the caravan, with several abandonments and re-enlistments in the following days, the four British mounts that have participated in the challenge have successfully completed it, highlighting the performance, resistance and mechanical reliability of the Tiger in the harshest conditions.

The double success of number 25: Hard Trail winner and coach of excellence

Iván Cervantes has won first place on the podium, not only piloting masterfully, but also sailing with a very high degree of efficiency, as he has reached 95.5% of the maximum theoretical score in his category (he has achieved 1,390 points of 1455 possible, taking into account both the validated Waypoints and the penalties). And that Cervantes had not navigated with a roadbook since the Dakar 2018.

An unbeatable end of the year for the award-winning rider who is closing an intense season, in which he has not only been immersed in the development and testing of Triumph’s future motocross and enduro range, but has also once again tasted the honeys of success in renowned competitions such as Baja Aragón and Bassella Race1. But in addition to his stupendous result, the Triumph flag bearer has taken on a far from easy challenge in this edition of 1000 Dunas since, together with Miguel Puertas, he acted as a coach and advisor to the rest of the riders. 

Thus, his day never ended when the motorcycles rested. At that time, he took the opportunity to share experiences with the other pilots, amateurs and professionals, and to focus on the former, offering them tricks and advice, in order to improve his performance the next day and, ultimately,

The mechanic who crossed Morocco to reach the podium of the 1000 Dunas

For his part, Josu Orozko, riding a 2012 Tiger 800 XC, finished in a more than creditable third place in the Trail category. The amateur rider was the winner of the Triumph Scholarship |1000 Dunes and until now he had only participated in short off-road navigation tests, never in such a demanding raid.

The one from Bilbao became the protégé of Iván Cervantes, with whom he shared a tent and cabin, and who waited for him every day at the end of the stage to take an interest in him and help him face the next day. The ties between the two drivers became so close that Iván even gave him one of his tires and mounted it himself on Josu’s rim, who has discovered that in addition to being a brilliant driver, he is a formidable person.

Josu is the perfect example of how hard work and tenacity, along with some more than appreciated advice and a machine to trust, are key in a challenge like the 1000 Dunes. Already from home, Orozko declared: “It has been a very ‘heavy’ experience, I have lived very bad moments and very good ones. The body is falling apart for days, I think my bike was the oldest of all and navigation is very complicated, although there comes a time when you get the ‘feeling’ and that’s when you learn and really enjoy. I still have a thorn in my side from an important mistake I made in stage 3, but I can’t ask for more, since I managed to get a podium finish. I do not have enough words to thank Iván for everything he has helped me and I have also felt very supported by the Triumph Spain team. Everything has been amazing.”

For the rest of the Super7moto article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The Andarde Moto: During the 7 days of testing, the pilots had the opportunity to experience the desert in its “pure and hard” state, traveling through unique places in the Merzouga dunes.

The Elite, Pro and Adventure categories covered a total of 2500 km throughout the race, while the Hard Trail, Trail and Classic categories covered 1500 km, all with the help of highly technical “Roadbooks”.

Despite the fatigue and difficulties that the pilots suffered, what stood out in the 1000 Dunas was the companionship between all the participants, a positive consequence of this not being a race focused on speed, but on the orientation that led the participants to help each other without being worried. with the time it would take to complete the stage.

The 1000 Dunas managed to test the physical and psychological conditions of all 66 participants, through extensive stages that ranged from 150 to 400 km, depending on the category. The objective of these long stages was to make each rider aware of their limits and which resulted in the abandonment of some due to technical problems, extreme fatigue, heat or dust. Even so, many of these abandonments were present again in the remaining stages.

The race leaders team, led by Iván Cervantes, managed to help many inexperienced riders through small briefings held before each stage where tips were given to overcome more difficult places.

Participants were very happy to have completed the 1000 Dunas 2022, where they were able to overcome their personal limits and always learn something new during the 7 stages.

The athlete, Vanessa Ruck, was the first woman to complete the 1000 Dunas on a standard Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro. Aled Price and Josu Orozko also finished the race riding a Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro and Triumph Tiger 800 CX, respectively, which once again reinforces Triumph’s value in these off-road endurance events.

According to the organization, the equipment that Racered provided to the pilots for the 1000 Dunas overcame the extreme conditions to which they were subjected during all stages.

The group of participants arrived in Granada, southern Spain, on the 30th of October, officially putting an end to this 2022 edition of 1000 Dunas.

For the rest of the Andar de Moto article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The bikersnod: Vanessa Ruck, A 36-year-old British Motorcycle Ridder, Racer, And Adventurer, Completed The 1000 Dunas Raid In Spain, Becoming The First Woman To Ever Complete On A Standard Production Adventure Bike.

Adding to the Tiger’s growing roster of racing achievements, Triumph’s off-road ambassador, Iván Cervantes, won the Hard Trail category on his specialised Tiger 900, with 1390 out of 1455 total points., while Triumph enthusiast and mechanic Josu Orozko, gained 3rd position in the Trail category on his own MY12 Tiger 800 XC. British Clubman Enduro Champion, Aled Price, also completed the Hard Trail with Vanessa Ruck on his standard Tiger 900 Rally Pro.

The 1,800km cross-country rally raid took Vanessa seven days to complete, showcasing her determination and the Tiger’s class-leading capability, with over 70 hours of riding across unpredictable terrain, including loose rocks, ruts, riverbeds, and sand dunes.

Using both mechanical and riding skills, Vanessa had to do her own daily servicing on the bike, from chains and tyre changes to bolt checks and daily filters. But perhaps the most challenging of all was the size of the bike, which at 201kg, was more than three times Vanessa’s body weight. In tough conditions, this made control of the bike and picking it up from inevitable drops on soft sand, extremely difficult.

Vanessa told Bikers Nod: “The 1000 DUNAS was harder than expected, and I ultimately ended up riding for survival. It took every strength in my mind and body to reach the end, and it feels like an incredible achievement to be able to push both myself and the bike to its limits. The fact that I would jump on another Tiger 900 Rally Pro tomorrow says it all – I have a great love for the bike.”

If you follow Vanessa on social media, you will know already that she found her love for motorbikes seven years ago while recovering from a cycling accident. After a lengthy recovery involving five hip and two shoulder surgeries, she found new adventures on a motorcycle, and never looked back. Having no previous rally experience, Vanessa took on the Qatar International Baja, Rallye du Maroc and then became the first woman to have ever competed in the Tunisia Desert Challenge and has competed in numerous rallies since, including the notorious Red Bull Romaniacs and Dinaric Rally. She has since made it her mission to break barriers and expectations, whether through upskilling her knowledge of motorcycle mechanics or mastering unforgiving terrain.

My accident was the hardest thing I ever had to go through, and my love for riding has meant I can embrace new challenges that are within my control. Mental attitude is a huge contributor to success – for me, staying positive and not being afraid to fail have allowed me to continue to push my limits to places I never thought I could go.

Before she even reached the start line, Vanessa had prepared by riding the Tiger 900 all the way from South Wales to the Triumph Adventure Experience in Spain to complete a few hours of training. There she made minor adjustments to the stock Tiger 900 to ensure its versatility and reliability throughout the rally. This included fitting rally navigation, extra-strong hand guards and fitting off-road focused tyres as well as removing panniers and rails for speed and making deep sand recovery easier.

With its generous ground clearance, excellent power-to-weight ratio, dedicated high specification Showa suspension set up, sump guard and engine protection, rally off-road pro mode which disables ABS and traction control, and lightweight Brembo Stylema brakes, the Tiger 900 is as capable off-road as it is on.

General Manager of Triumph Motorcycles UK & Ireland, Devron Boulton, applauded Vanessa’s achievement: “In this unforgiving and challenging terrain, Vanessa tackled the event with skill and bravery. Her efforts were outstanding, and were well matched by the performance of the Tiger 900 Rally Pro. Congratulations to all four Tiger riders, and the teams supporting them at the event.”

For the rest of the Bikers Nod article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The enduronews: Vanessa Ruck, has to turn out to be the primary lady to complete the one thousand DUNES RAID using on a popular journey manufacturing bike

Vanessa battled through the 1,800km cross country rally raid on Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro

British motorcycle rider, racer and adventurer, Vanessa Ruck, 36, has completed the 1000 DUNAS RAID in Spain, making her the first female to ever finish on a standard production adventure bike. Vanessa – also known as ‘The Girl on a Bike’ – took on the challenge riding a Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro motorcycle, between Granada, Spain and Morocco after only taking up riding motorcycles seven years ago.

Adding to the Tiger’s growing roster of racing achievements, Triumph’s off-road ambassador, Iván Cervantes, won the won the Hard Trail category on his specialised Tiger 900, with 1390 out of 1455 total points., while Triumph enthusiast and mechanic Josu Orozko, gained 3rd position in the Trail category on his own MY12 Tiger 800 XC. British Clubman Enduro Champion, Aled Price, also completed the Hard Trail with Vanessa Ruck on his standard Tiger 900 Rally Pro.

The 1,800km cross-country rally raid took Vanessa seven days to complete, showcasing her determination and the Tiger’s class leading capability, with over 70 hours of riding across unpredictable terrain, including loose rocks, ruts, riverbeds, and sand dunes. Using both mechanical and riding skills, Vanessa had to do her own daily servicing on the bike, from chains and tyre changes to bolt checks and daily filters. But perhaps the most challenging of all was the size of the bike, which at 201kg, was more than three times Vanessa’s body weight. In tough conditions, this made control of the bike and picking it up from inevitable drops on soft sand, extremely difficult.

Ms. Ruck commented: “The 1000 DUNAS was harder than expected, and I ultimately ended up riding for survival. It took every strength in my mind and body to reach the end, and it feels like an incredible achievement to be able to push both myself and the bike to its limits. The fact that I would jump on another Tiger 900 Rally Pro tomorrow says it all – I have a great love for the bike.”

Vanessa found her love for motorbikes seven years ago while recovering from a cycling accident. After a lengthy recovery involving five hip and two shoulder surgeries, she found new adventures on a motorcycle, and never looked back. Having no previous rally experience, Vanessa took on the Qatar International Baja, Rallye du Maroc and then became the first woman to have ever competed in the Tunisia Desert Challenge and has competed in numerous rallies since, including the notorious Red Bull Romaniacs and Dinaric Rally. She has since made it her mission to break barriers and expectations, whether through upskilling her knowledge of motorcycle mechanics or mastering unforgiving terrain.

For the rest of the Enduro News article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The Club Moto: Incredible outcomes in a difficult raid wherein the 4 collaborating Triumphs efficiently crossed the end line.

The passion for motorcycles and for adventure, as well as the desire to excel, have united the 66 participants of the 1000 Dunes raid in what has been one of the most demanding and exciting experiences of their lives, covering all kinds of lands across two continents. 

The Plateau de Rekam, the infinite slopes of Bouarfa or the majestic dunes of Merzouga have been some of the impressive territories that have been crossed. An experience in which Triumph, which continues to take steps in its firm commitment to off-road, has been more than victorious.

The effort and work of the drivers who faced this challenge on the back of their Triumphs has resulted in  enormously positive results in a particularly tough edition . And although the difficulty of the route has taken its toll on part of the caravan, with several abandonments and re-enlistments in the following days, the four British mounts that have participated in the challenge have successfully completed it, highlighting the performance, resistance and the mechanical reliability of the Tiger in the toughest conditions.

Iván Cervantes has won first place on the podium, not only piloting masterfully, but also sailing with a very high degree of efficiency, as he has reached 95.5% of the maximum theoretical score in his category (he has achieved 1,390 points of 1455 possible, taking into account both the validated Waypoints and the penalties). And that Cervantes had not navigated with a roadbook since the Dakar 2018.

An unbeatable end of the year for the award-winning rider who is closing an intense season, in which he has not only been immersed in the development and testing of Triumph’s future motocross and enduro range, but has also once again tasted the honeys of success in renowned competitions such as Baja Aragón and Bassella Race1. But in addition to his great result,  the Triumph flag bearer has taken on a not easy challenge in this edition of 1000 Dunas, since together with Miguel Puertas, he acted as a coach and advisor for the rest of the riders.  

Thus, his day never ended when the bikes rested. At that time,  he took the opportunity to share experiences with the other pilots, amateurs and professionals , and to focus on the former, offering tricks and advice , in order to improve their performance the next day and, ultimately, their experience.

With his Tiger 900 Rally Pro, the same one with which he participated in the Baja Aragón, already in the Parc Fermé,  Cervantes took stock of the experience :  “It has been an incredible adventure of more than 1,500 km. The performance of the bike has been perfect on all the terrains we have encountered: gravel, sand, mud, rocks and river crossings; and once again we have been able to show how capable the Tiger 900 Rally Pro is. I would like to thank the Triumph Spain team for their constant support throughout the rally, as this has allowed me to focus on achieving the best possible result” .

THE MECHANIC WHO CROSSED MOROCCO TO REACH THE PODIUM OF THE 1000 DUNAS

For his part, Josu Orozko,  riding a 2012 Tiger 800 XC, finished in a more than creditable third place in the Trail category.  The amateur rider was the winner of the Triumph Scholarship |1000 Dunes and until now he had only participated in short off-road navigation tests, never in such a demanding raid.

The one from Bilbao became the protégé of Iván Cervantes, with whom he shared a tent and cabin, and who waited for him every day at the end of the stage to take an interest in him and help him face the next day. The ties between the two drivers became so close that Iván even gave him one of his tires and mounted it himself on Josu’s rim, who has discovered that in addition to being a brilliant driver, he is a formidable person.

Josu is the perfect example of how  hard work and tenacity, along with some more than appreciated advice and a machine to trust, are key  in a challenge like the 1000 Dunes. Already from home, Orozko declared: “It has been a very ‘heavy’ experience, I have lived very bad moments and very good ones. The body is falling apart for days, I think my bike was the oldest of all and navigation is very complicated, although there comes a time when you get the ‘feeling’ and that’s when you learn and really enjoy. I still have a thorn in my side from an important mistake I made in stage 3, but I can’t ask for more, since I managed to get a podium finish. I do not have enough words to thank Iván for everything he has helped me and I have also felt very supported by the Triumph Spain team. Everything has been amazing.”

FROM ENGLAND TO THE DESERT OF MOROCCO WITH A SERIES MOTORCYCLE

Vanessa Ruck ,  who participated with her partner Aled Price in the Hard Trail category, both riding  Tiger 900 Rally Pro trails , has become the  first female finisher of the 1000 Dunes at the controls of a series trail bike.  This British pilot is the living image of overcoming. She fully entered the world of motorcycles after suffering a serious bicycle accident, which made her go through surgery up to 7 times.

An accident that took place approximately 8 years ago, almost a decade in which she has not stopped outdoing herself. An example? Ruck hadn’t trained on the Triumph he’s raced with , in fact,  he got on it for the first time to make the road and ferry trip to Andalucia. Once there, he visited the Triumph Adventure Experience in Malaga, where he unpacked, fitted the knobby tires and spent a day familiarizing himself with the Tiger 900 Rally Pro in an off-road environment before embarking on his new adventure into the desert. .

Her balance of the raid is as determined as herself:  “The 1000 Dunes has been much more difficult than expected to the point that every day I got on the bike with the aim of surviving. I used all the strength of my body and mind to get to the finish, and it feels like an incredible achievement to have pushed both the bike and myself to the limit. I would get back on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro tomorrow. I loved this bike.”

For the rest of the Club Moto article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The Enduro Magazine: The 66 riders who participated in the 1000 Dunas Raid’s 2022 Edition endured seven grueling days in the desert’s purest form while also enjoying it.

They traveled across Morocco from north to south and from east to west, from Nador to the massive Erg dunes of Merzouga, piloting through areas far from the typical tourist routes and the paths shown on the maps.

A total of 2,500 kilometers were covered for the Elite, Pro, and Adventure categories, and 1,500 kilometers were covered for the Hard Trail, Trail, and Classic categories while using roadblocks of the greatest technical caliber, much to the delight of the riders.

Some of the remarkable areas traversed include the Recam plateau, the endless Bouarfa slopes, or the majestic Merzouga dunes.

Despite the fatigue and difficulties, all the participants have agreed to highlight the human enrichment that the experience of taking part in a rally in which speed has not been the key has meant, and in which support among all has prevailed the riders and the enjoyment of spending long hours on the bike going through a roadbook that has been described by all as “very hard”.

Throughout its journey through the desert, this adventure has tested the physical and psychological capabilities of each and every one of the pilots. Several of the stages have demanded the maximum from them, with almost impossible mileage to complete with the aim of finding the personal limits of each one of them.

The difficulty of the route has taken its toll on part of the caravan, with several abandonments and re-enlistments in the following days, a possibility that gave the riders flexibility to adapt their level of difficulty. The heat, the dust, and the length of the stages have also brought their point of complications to all the riders.

The team of coaches headed by Iván Cervantes has contributed all their knowledge and experience, highly valued by the amateur riders, who have soaked up the guidelines and also the little tricks provided by Iván, without a doubt a differentiating element of this event that combines to perfection competition and training at the highest level.

“It has been an experience of self-improvement in which every day has been an opportunity to learn and face something new” – the pilot comments.

A great example of this goal achieved has been the impeccable race made by Vanessa Ruck, the first woman to finish the 1000 Dunes on a standard Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro after her motorcycle trip from the United Kingdom. Aled Price and Josu Orozco, also riding their Triumphs, have fought against all the elements and managed to reach the finish line, highlighting the performance and resistance of these bikes in the toughest conditions.

With the triumphal entry of the caravan in Granada, a historic edition of the 1000 Dunas Raid was brought to an end in which the winner in the “Elite” category was Mathieu Liebaert, Pablo Aravaca in the “Pro” category, and Gilberto Facco in the “ Adventure”. Regarding the “Trail” and “Hard Trail” bikes, the winners were Javier González Molina and Iván Cervantes respectively, riding their Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro.

For the rest of the Enduro Magazine article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The Moto Fichas: Triumph is developing a range of cross and enduro bikes and any experience you can gain from off-road racing is invaluable. Hence its collaboration with the organization of the 1000 Dunes together with the equipment company Racered.

The 1000 Dunes Rally is one of the favorite events for fans as it is a race exclusively for motorcycles in which orientation prevails more than pure and simple speed, which provides a plus of safety. This means that more “amateur” riders with practically standard motorcycles approach it. It is not surprising, therefore, that it is one of the tests chosen by Triumph to continue its progression within the off-road world. And it is that the company of Hinckley is going to be present at the hands of Iván Cervantes, who will not only take part as a pilot but will also offer his support to the organization offering his knowledge to the rest of the participants in the race that begins on Saturday 22 October in Granada and ending seven days later in Merzouga, Morocco, after traveling 3,000 km.

Cervantes already performed that role of “coach” during the development of the Triumph 1000 Dunas Scholarships , giving all kinds of support on driving, navigation and mental preparation to the participants. A job that he carried out together with another great Dakar professional, Miguel Puertas, Sports Director of the event, rally co-driver and former motorcycle driver with extensive experience in raids.

In addition to gaining experience in off-road competitions, Triumph also intends to show that with a practically standard trail bike, tests of this magnitude can be faced. Only minimal preparation is required for navigation elements and those essential to increase safety. In fact, the bike chosen by Cervantes is a Tiger 900 Rally Pro , the same one with which he already participated in the Baja Aragón , which has barely received a slight tuning of the suspensions and the mounting of mousses to avoid punctures. Moreover, the winner of the Triumph 1000 Dunas Scholarships, Josu Orozko, will do so at the controls of a 2012 Tiger 800 XCwhose tower for navigation devices has been developed by himself. Also curious is the case of the English driver Vanessa Ruck, who will take part in the race with a fully stock Tiger 900 Rally Pro and with which she has traveled to Granada from England.

For the rest of the Moto Fichas article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.

As seen in The Moto1Pro: The British bike rider is involved with the raid to fully experience this challenge in the desert, with its official pilot Iván Cervantes as a participant and coach.

Triumph ‘s commitment to expanding horizons in the world of “off road” is clearer every day, and is reinforced by its firm presence in the 1000 Dunes raid . That is why Triumph will participate in this adventure to get to know the challenge and its participants from within. A perfect opportunity to show how much you can enjoy riding a British mount for 7 days in the desert , whether you are an amateur or a professional.

Triumph and the Off Road

The Hinckley factory advances in its off-road project with the development of a complete range of enduro and motocross bikes, which will complement the well-known road trail bikes. In one more step to bring its passion for adventure closer to fans of two wheels, Triumph launches this year its collaboration as co-sponsor of the 1000 Dunes raid, together with the premium equipment company RACERED . Its goal: to fully immerse yourself in the adventure that every off-road lover, amateur or professional, wants to experience at least once in their life.

The raid, which starts this Saturday, October 22 from Granada, will cover nearly 3,000 km before returning to the Andalusian city on October 29, crossing Morocco and reaching Merzouga in 7 navigation stages with a roadbook. It will be a perfect opportunity for the five-time Enduro World Champion, Iván Cervantes , to develop his role as coach for all the participants, forming a team with Miguel Puertas .

Miguel’s extensive career as Sports Director of the event and of the Himoinsa Racing Team, as well as co-driver (remember that he accompanied Joan Lascorzin the Dakar 2022) will be essential to help the participants. For his part, Cervantes not only brings his gift in terms of driving techniques and his experience in competition, but also has a solid track record working with young promises of the sport as a national coach and RFME enduro delegate.

In addition to Iván Cervantes as a professional driver, riding his Tiger 900 Rally Pro, the same one with which he participated in the Baja Aragón 2022 and whose preparation is limited to the installation of mousse on the wheels and modifications to the suspensions to comply with the Iván’s driving needs, other very diverse profiles also participate. For example, Josu Orozko , winner of the first call for Triumph scholarships | 1000 Dunas, is an amateur pilot who will see his dream come true at the controls of his inseparable Tiger 800 XC from 2012, which he has taken it upon himself to prepare for the adventure by making his own navigation tower and replacing the rear wheel to mount mousses.

and avoid punctures. On the other hand, the British Vanessa Ruck, is a semi-professional who is going to face the challenge at the controls of a strictly stock Tiger 900 Rally Pro, which she rode for the first time a few days ago.

Triumph starts its engines to promote and fully enjoy an unforgettable experience in which it will lend all its knowledge and help to those attending the 1000 Dunas rally, as well as to demonstrate the excellent performance of its three-cylinder in the off-road environment.

For the rest of the Moto1Pro article see here.

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding, Harleys and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.