Mohammed Al Balooshi has outlined his goal for this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – to finish the race.
The Emirati will compete in the bikes category, with many observers feeling he has an outside chance of making a real impact against such established names as Marc Coma.
But Al Balooshi, 35, says he is still only 65-70 per cent fit following a dislocated shoulder and hand injuries sustained at the Dakar Rally and insists he will show restraint around the dunes in order to complete the tough endurance test.
With a long World Championship ahead of him, the home favourite doesn’t want to crash out early like he did in 2011.
He said: “My background is different and it’s difficult not to push myself. Now I learn, after many injuries, that sometimes I have to rein it in.
“It’s a long race, you have to deal with day by day. So this is my strategy – I don’t want to put any pressure on myself.
“This is the first time I have approached a race like this, because every time I want to win at least a stage and I push like a maniac.
“But I’m not fit to ride at that level, so I have to be realistic.”
He added: “This year is a different approach for me because for many years I would be fit and I’d push above my limit and I’d crash or didn’t allow the bike to finish.
“Last year, I had a lot of pressure. It’s my home country and I was super-fit, and on day three I crashed and was out of the race. I wanted to prove something too quickly.
“This year there’s really no pressure. I have to take it round by round because this season I will do the World Championship and I will do the 2013 Dakar Rally, so it makes sense. I am more mature. I’ve learnt the hard way!”
The KTM UAE rider became the first Emirati to ride at the Dakar this year and is clearly a rising star.
But that won’t stop the nerves today – and he admits that sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach won’t go until the racing gets going.
He said: “I’ve started getting the butterflies because I’m coming from an injury and am not as fit as I’d like to be.
“But at the start I will have a high heart rate. It’s an amazing feeling. All that feeling will be there until the flag is raised and then the feeling goes, the nerves go – I’m looking forward to that moment actually!
“The desert is my background, my playground. I enjoy riding in the desert, I know I am good at it but I’d like to be fitter to show some tricks!”
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