Celebrations are in order as Jatin Jain, the Indian Knight, is on his way to Dakar 2025. The race, notorious for its gruelling 14-day tenure spent in the treacherous deserts of Saudi Arabia, offers the ultimate glory that any rally raid pilot aspires for. Jain is no different. He has worked hard to earn his ticket to Dakar.
Dakar is the ultimate test for any rider. Spanning over 14 days and covering 9000+kms of desert, it tests endurance and skill to the maximum. Riders have to start the day in chilling mornings and end the day, only to spend the next few hours in critical repairs to their machines. Sleep comes by as a novelty. Some days are marathon stages with riders returning to no support crew. Jain is now looking up to crossing 1000 ft high dunes of soft Saudi sand as he competes in the race.
Starting 2024 edition, any motorcyclist wishing to participate in the race has to submit an application along with a profile highlighting their achievements and fitness to compete. The decision of acceptance lies solely with ASO, the organising authority for Dakar. Riders participate in 5 days or longer desert rallies to earn points. More points equal a stronger profile. Jain made it his mission to make the cut in 2025. And sure enough, he did. Jain, who one may have considered a rookie in the world of tough desert rally raids last year, is no longer one. The hero has done his share of work to reverse the narrative.
Having earlier championed Hispania Rally in 2020 and Sonora Rally in 2023 in the Enduro class, Jain decided that it was time to upgrade to full blown rally raid machines. So, he embarked on a journey to compete in the World Rally Raid Championship, dubbed W2RC, in 2024, atop his Kove 450 R, armed with full navigation tower and rally mileage. So it began for Jain, at Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, where he was the only rider from India and only rider atop the new steed from the Chinese manufacturer. One may have doubted the man and the machine but both stayed true to the mission as Jain clinched the finisher medal at the end of Day 5. Onwards to BP Rally Raid in Portugal, where rain gods wreaked havoc on the piste, our Knight decided to ride Malle Moto (without service support). Having rescued his bike from knee deep slushy troughs after spending an hour jump-starting his bike, he spent the night replacing the clutch plates on his Kove. The hero again clinched the finisher medal. Though the bike and the knight both looked humble in the muddy livery, the smile said it all. Once again, tirelessly, our hero then travels to Argentina for Desafio Ruta 40. “Racing amidst foggy deserts and freezing cold weather, this was an experience in itself.”, Jain comments.
Making a last-ditch effort to collect more points before the applications for Dakar 2025 were due for submission, Jain clinched his first international podium at Safari 1000 in Johannesburg, Africa.
From a rookie to an international podium holder, Jain’s journey is nowhere an ordinary one. Working silently with his head humbly bowed, his tenaciousness is indeed marvellous. Be sure to have your eyes glued to the leaderboard rankings as our hero races at Dakar in January 2025.
