Kent Online: Tunbridge Wells biker Vanessa Ruck, who was hit by car in 2014, completes treacherous race in Sahara desert
As seen in The Kent Online: Experience the thrilling conclusion of Africa Eco Race 2024 at Lac Rose, Dakar, honouring exceptional athletes and celebrating victories across categories.
A Kent woman who was hit by a car in 2014 has completed a treacherous race across the Sahara on a motorbike.
Vanessa Ruck from Langton Green in Tunbridge Wells was struck by a car while out cycling 10 years ago.
She went through seven years of recovery which saw seven surgical procedures on her face.
After this, she discovered her love for motorcycles.
Nicknamed The Girl On A Bike, the challenge saw Ms Ruck travel 6,000km in the 2024 Africa Eco Race across the scorching desert.
The race followed the route of the old Dakar Rally from Nador in Morocco to Dakar in Senegal and finished on Sunday.
She said the longest day on her bike was 13 and a half hours and some of the days were 90% on sand, with 400m high dunes.
“I’m absolutely shattered,” she told the BBC after finishing the challenge.
“I don’t think every single muscle in my body, and my brain, have ever been this tired.
“You have to be so focused. A second of lapse on your focus can mean you get lost, or the rock you don’t see can take you off your bike.”
Ms Ruck, who is in her 30s, added she wanted to take on the 13-day race to prove that she still could face a challenge following her accident.
Sharing her triumph on Instagram, the daredevil said: “That was by far the toughest, most gruelling and most brutally demanding challenge I’ve faced both physically and mentally! I managed to survive every single stage safely and smoothly.
My body feels beaten beyond the boundaries of my limits but I never quit.”
As well as taking part in races, Ms Ruck visits schools to inspire young girls to take part in different sports.
In 2022 Ms Ruck made history after she became the first woman to enter a gruelling motorcycle rally challenge which even claimed one competitor’s life.
The avid biker shifted gears as she battled extreme temperatures, sand dunes, hills and mountains at the Tunisia Desert Challenge and at one point her heart rate reached 194 beats per minute as she twisted the throttle through 85kmh (53mph) winds.
For the rest of The Kent Online 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 Threads, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.
Vanessa Ruck Vanessa
