Riding high

Emirati motocross champ aims for glory in legendary race

MOTOCROSS’ LOCAL HERO is setting his sights on the biggest race of his career.

After becoming the first Emirati to compete in the motorbike class at the Dakar Rally last year, motocross and desert rally champ Mohammed Al Balooshi will aim to raise the UAE flag high in next year’s installment of the race set to launch in January 2014.

While he will start testing his race bike next month, Balooshi, 32, has already starting following a strict fitness regimen consisting of 35 kilometres of running and endless hours in the gym.

The Red Bull athlete, who only started riding at age 20, currently holds the Arabic Motocross Championship title in addition to a slew of other honours. His participation at Dakar represents a milestone for the local motocross community.

The famous race once ran from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal, but due to security concerns in Africa, it has since been moved to South America following a route in Argentina and Chile.