Patsy Quick

It was not until 12pm the following day when Patsy and Clive made it into the camp, after a second night in the dunes. It was here that they were told they were out of time to start the next stage and therefore out of the race. Together with another 30 riders who had suffered a similar fate they were flown to Nouakchott where they would have to make there own arrangements to get back to England. A sad end to the Dakar 2004 for Team Desert Rose, but a bitter twist makes it even sadder. When the race reached Nema at the end of day 9. The organisers announced that the next 2 days were cancelled due to a terrorist threat in western Mali along the route of the race. Bikes would be flown and cars would drive by road to the planned rest day at Bobo Dioulasso. Competitors who were still in the dunes would have until 6pm on the rest day to make it and still be in the race. Which was good news for Colin McRay who had a broken gearbox and now had time to fix it and get in. But no cancellation for Patsy and all the other bikes who were told they were out and are now on their way home.

Late Update From The Team 11/01/2004
Day 9 - TIDJIKJA TO NEMA
Patsy and Clive were not permitted by officials to set out on Day 9. They made it to the start line but had missed their start time and were therefore disqualified. They were flown by the ASO to Nouachott in Mauritania.They are both well but devastated and tired.

Late Update From The Team 11/01/2004
DAY 7 TAN TAN TO ATAR
This was predicted to be one of the hardest days of the 2004 Dakar and it lived upto the hype. Half the bike competitors have gone out of the race today. The route was designed to be tough. 1055km in total. Patsy and Clive were away at 2am for the 345km liason section to the Mauritanian border in the dark. There the organisers had layed on breakfast and fuel. As dawn broke the 701km special started. Mainly soft sand and dunes the punishment was relentless and to finish the day the final 15km were very high dunes. Only the top 30 or so riders would make it to this point in daylight. The rest of 180 remaining riders would have to tackle these dunes in darkness. Even with high powerd head lights it is nearly impossible to find the best route around high dunes.The tiedness kicks in and finally the only thing to do is sleep and try again in an hour. To add to the hardship, all the assistance crews had to cover the same distance on a slightly easier terrain. But they could not set off untill the last competitor had left, meaning that even with on problems they would not arrive till 2 or 3 AM. Clive and Andrew the Team Desert Rose mechanics arrived at 3am but Patsy and Clive were still not in yet. They kept an all night vigil but by day break they still had not arrived. Their start time for day 8 was 9am. To be still in the race they must take that start time. Then with only 30 minutes to go they appeared, much to the releaf of their service crew. Who were able to change the air filters load the road books and send them on their way again within the time. The story was they had run into difficulties and decided to sleep out in the dunes knowing they only had a few km to go which would be easier in daylight. So a very close call but they are still in the event unlike many other competitors who as this report was sent are still out in the dunes somewhere.

More hardships to come as day 8 is the first of a 2 day marathon with no assistance at the evening camp.

Late Update From The Team 11/01/2004
STAGE 6 - OUARZAZATE TO TAN-TAN
Another long day ( 803km) The first bike was away at 4.30am. Patsy and Clive who are running around 110th position start an hour and a half later. This has the disadvantage of lack of daylight at the other end of the day. The pair are using their heads and riding conservatively. They are trying to conserve energy for the marathon days to come. Once in the camp at night team mechanics get to work on the bikes. Regular work includes oil changes, new tyres and mooses, air filters and replacing any broken parts. All spares needed are carried on the team service truck which follows the race from camp to camp. All the camps or bivoucs, are based at airports or army air bases because of all the medical, media, technical resources that are moved by air everyday. Patsy said the route today was" very long and dusty but enjoyable", before getting into her sleeping bag for much a needed sleep. Tomorrow its the start of the really hard stuff. and the first bike leaves at 1am !!!

STAGE 9 - TIDJIKJA TO NEMA 10/01/2004
Patsy and Clive have withdrawn from the race. At this point this is the only news we have.

I'm sure everyone who has joined Team Desert Rose and knows Patsy and Clive will want to congratulate them on getting as far as they did in this Dakar.
To put their achievement in perspective, by day 9, 93 bikers, or just under half the original entrants had dropped out of the race. Speaking for Patsy and Clive's supporters I want to thank Patsy and Clive for letting us share this fantastic journey. Completing the Dakar is a near inhuman task and thank goodness for us that Patsy and Clive are two lovely and inspirational human beings. I know that for Patsy the hardest part of this will be the feeling she has let her supporters down. Patsy we have seen more and learnt more with you than if you'd stayed at home. You wouldn't have stopped unless you had to. We send you all our love and respect.

STAGE 8 - ATAR TO TIDJIKJA 09/01/2004
There can have been little if any sleep for Patsy and Clive before setting off again to reach checkpoint 1 for 9.48 they completed the stage late in the day with Patsy in 101st position.

By the end of this stage around 90 bikers, over a third, have withdrawn from the race.

STAGE 7 - TAN-TAN TO ATAR 08/01/2004
Stage Standing : 101 Overall Standing : 125

Patsy and Clive spent an 29 unimaginable hours completing this longest stage in the race.

After a 2.30am to reach the first check point for an 8.53 departure they finally reached the bivouac at 7.24 am the following morning. We can only imagine they slept in the desert.

Very sadly, youngest British biker, Nicky Plumb (BMW) got lost on this stage and was found a day later by a helicopter search party. He is no longer in the race. Nicky completed the Dakar in 2003. His companion rider Si Pavey (BMW) is still going strong, fingers crossed for him as he dropped out of the Dakar in 2003 after mechanical failure.

STAGE 6 - OUARZAZATE TO TAN-TAN 07/01/2004
Stage Standing : 139 Overall Standing : 133

No updates received today...

STAGE 5 - ER RACHIDIA TO OUARZAZATE 05/01/2004
Stage Standing : 142 Overall Standing : 136

Patsy was away for 7am after the daily tasks of loading the days road book onto her bike, filling her camel pack with energy drink and filling the pockets of her riding jacket with rations. A short road liason of 56km before the first real tough going on the Dakar so far. 338 km of a mixture of loose gravel, rocks and sand. It was difficult because of the dust lingering in the air from the previous bikes.

Once the cars had caught up and passed the problem multiplied. A twisty mountain road section of 182 km after the special became difficult as darkness fell and Patsy was having problems with her lights. Patsy finally made it into the camp at 7.30 pm. So another 12 hour day in the sadle.

An early start tomorrow means just time for some food, a quick wash, mark up the road book before getting in the sleeping bag ready to start it all again. The big disapointment of the day was that Eurosport had fixed a camera to Patsys helmet, to film her from the helicopter but unfortunatly the pictures did not transmit correctly. Shame, but they promised to try again later in the race.

STAGE 4 - TANGER TO ER RACHIDIA 04/01/2004
Stage Standing : 155 Overall Standing : 148

Finally in Morocco but the weather is not what you would expect for Africa. There has been heavy rain for the last few months leading to lush green fields.

But fog was the order of the day for the competitors on the 233km liason section. The 75km special proved a problem for some riders at water crossings but generally it was easy compared with what is to come. No problems for Patsy and Clive on the special but a rear tyre moose on Clives bike needed changing before the 440km liason to Errachidia.

The route wound its way over the snow capped Atlas mountains eventually arriving at the bivouac at 9pm for food and sleep.

STAGE 3 - CASTELLON TO TANGER 03/01/2004
Stage Standing : 128 Overall Standing : 127

Day 3 started with a 9km special on the beach at the spanish coastal resort of Castellon. This venue has been used over the last few Dakars and is very popular with the thousands of spanish fans that turn up to watch.

The soft sand and ruts on the beach proved very difficult for many of the inexperienced riders and gave them a wake up call of what is to come. Patsy and co rider Clive found the going tricky but not too difficult. Both were pleased to have got through the european section without any problems. The bikes were then loaded up for the last time for the crossing of Spain to the docks at Algeciras and the ferry crossing at 1am and finally first camp in Morocco.

One lasting image of the day was the people waving from every motorway bridge right across Spain as the Dakar circus drove by. It just shows what a huge following the Dakar has in Europe.

STAGE 2 - NARBONNE TO CASTELLON 02/01/2004
Stage Standing : 133 Overall Standing : 133

The day started with a 25km special around the hills and vine yards of Narbonne. This was incredibly muddy due to the rain from the day before. Patsy found the going quite easy, just like a wet welsh enduro.

The problems came at the local petrol station when a queue of about 30 riders waiting to wash the mud from their bikes erupted into a mass argument over who was next. This finally stopped when the car wash broke down.

The bikes were loaded in the vans for the 500km motorway journey down to Castellon in Spain. Patsy is looking forward to getting to Africa and the start of the Dakar for real.

STAGE 1 - CLERMONT FERRAND NARBONNE 01/01/2004
Stage Standing : 130 Overall Standing : 128

Freezing winds and two inches of snow didnt deter a crowd of 30,000 on the first day of the 2004 Dakar.

Once again sporting the most prized race number on the Dakar, 100, Patsy rolled onto the podium, thrilled to see so many British supporters. Expected to be muddy and wet, the prologue was frozen hard and quick going and completed by Patsy and Clive with ease.

The unexpected adverse weather gave the two a chance to catch up on sleep as a last minute cancellation of the liason allowed the loading of bikes for the 500 km run down to the outskirts of Narbonne. From here Patsy and Clive rode into town, through streets lined with cheering fans to finish the first day in style.

FOLLOW THE RACE
Patsy’s rider number is 100 and Clive Towns 101.You can watch their up-to the minute progress at www.dakar.com plus special feature pages at www.eurosport.com.

The 2004 Dakar will have the best media coverage in the UK ever. Thanks to the interest surrounding Patsy and former World Rally Champion Colin McRae.

EUROSPORT - Patsy is the British correspondent for 2004, giving reports every night when possible.

BBC NEWS 24 - will have interviews with Patsy and Colin daily during the race.

BBC GRANDSTAND - will be showing reviews of the weeks action on 11th and 18th Jan.

DAILY EXPRESS, TELEGRAPH & MAIL - will all be running features and Patsy though out the race.

TBM & DIRT BIKER RIDER - are running articles on the Team in the New Year.

and finally Patsy will be living a child hood dream by appearing on Blue Peter on Jan 26th.

ALL READY FOR THE START ON NEW YEARS DAY
It's been a year of very hard work, flying around Europe attending shows, raising the vital sponsorship and finally everything is in place. Patsy and Clive are fit and ready to go. The KTM bikes are loaded into the van for the journey to France. The tyres and spares are all packed into the support truck. The team assistance car is under going final checks before it's job of carrying the support team across Africa begins.

So it’s off to Clermont Ferrand for the start of what promises to be one of the best Dakars ever and hopefully we will see the first ever, British winner on a bike.

Patsy and the team would like to send a special message of thanks to everyone who has helped out through the year. Without that help none of it would be possible.

So a big thank you and a Happy New Year to everyone.