Interview: Tosha Schareina talks about his biggest battle at this year's Dakar

After a very busy 2024 where Tosha Schareina mounted serious challenges in the World Rally-Raid Championship and the E-Xplorer World Cup, in the latter he became the champion in his debut season, all focus turned to the biggest motorsport event in the world, the iconic Dakar Rally.

Having only competed in the Dakar three times after coming from an enduro background, Tosha’s best result to date had been 13th.  His 2023 season riding the factory supported Honda CRF450 RALLY saw him runner up at the Sonora Rally, then the victor at Baja Aragon and the Desafío Ruta 40.  There was no doubt that after those stellar performances that he wouldn’t be a part of the Monster Energy Honda HRC team in 2024 and the Dakar was first up for the Spaniard in factory colours with him hot favourite for the victory.

As the prologue king last season where he won every opener of the World Rally-Raid Championship rounds he competed in, he opened his 2024 Dakar account with the victory in Saudi Arabia, however the famous rally will always spring up surprises and stage one saw him withdraw with a wrist fracture.  It was a disappointing early exit for the 29-year-old, nonetheless, he was determined to turn things around on the 47th edition of the Dakar at the start of this year.

He kept himself in contention throughout holding onto second in the general standings from stage four onwards as he tried to usurp Daniel Sanders for the top spot.  Although he had to settle as the runner-up, it was an incredible result for Tosha who was able to repay those that had put faith in him on his rally-raid journey.

“I really have no words, I never tire of saying that.  Three years ago we were struggling to find the money to be able to compete, then less than two years ago Honda and Monster Energy put their trust in me and this year we have been fighting to win the Dakar.”

This year’s edition was a gruelling test across Saudi Arabia as riders were thrown into the 48 Hour Chrono on stage two, a challenge which had made its debut in 2024, something that Tosha had missed out on.  Not only did the bike competitors have to cover nearly 1000km of riding across two days, they’d spend a night under the stars with basic food rations, no mechanical assistance from the team and not know where they were  sitting in the provisional results.

“It was very hard, but the hardest part of that stage was the rocky terrain, more than the hours on the bike or the fact that I didn't sleep well. I think the terrain was what made the difference and made the stage so complicated.”

With a packed two weeks of long days on his Honda CRF450 RALLY, changing weather conditions and a stage win on the penultimate day for Tosha, the organisers added a final flourish to this year’s rally with a mass start which was reminiscent of the early Paris-Dakar days at Lac Rose when competitors battled together to the finish line.  Just nine minutes separated Tosha and Daniel Sanders as they set off from the start line across the dunes in the distinctive Empty Quarter for the spectacular climax.

“I really liked being able to start all at the same time, motocross style.  I think it gives you a point of relaxation to be able to control the race a little better and enjoy that last stage at such a tough Dakar.”

From the start at Bisha, in Saudi Arabia’s South Western quadrant to the city of Shubaytah, which neighbours the United Arab Emirates, after 7,453 kilometres and 53 hours of rallying Tosha finished just 8’50” off the winner Daniel Sanders in what had been a long, arduous event and he was joined by his Monster Energy Honda HRC teammate Adrien Van Beveren on the podium.

However, it wasn’t until a couple of weeks after the rally had ended that Tosha revealed on his social media that he’d ridden the second week of the Dakar with a broken collarbone.

“It was a pretty silly crash on the fifth stage, the day before the rest day. I knew it was going to be tough but I couldn't let my team down. I knew it was going to be seven days of a lot of suffering but we had to keep fighting for the victory until the last kilometre.”

A few days after his crash a video went viral of him flying off his bike again on stage nine.  What surprised everybody was his calmness and composure to dust himself off and get back on his Honda CRF450 RALLY.

“That was so crazy. At that crash I was already injured but the reality is that I didn't hit my collarbone again. It was a big fall at high speed, but both me and the bike came out in one piece and we were able to keep pushing.”

There is no doubt that Tosha is made of stern stuff and what had seemed such a distant dream a few years ago, the Valencian native had finally managed to achieve his goal of a Dakar Rally podium and his determination against all the odds showed why he is such a star in this discipline.  Upon his return to his homeland, there was no rest for Tosha as he then had the interview circuit to content with on television shows and at awards ceremonies.

“I think that sometimes we live in a simulation. I was on a television programme with the highest audience in Spain and also very well known in South America, it was a lot of fun and it helps us to make this sport bigger and bigger.

When you achieve your goals everything happens very fast and sometimes you have to slow down and know how to enjoy it. I also have to say that I have a lot of goals ahead of me.”

With the second round of the World Rally-Raid Championship coming up later this month in Abu Dhabi, then rallies in South Africa, Portugal and Morocco across the year, all eyes will be on Tosha Schareina as he recovers from his injury but also continues in his bid to fulfil another dream, the one to become World Champion.