HONDA

 After a successful career as a sand racer, which saw him win the Enduropale du Touquet three times from 2014 to 2016, Adrien van Beveren, who was already known as 'VBA', switched to rally-raid with Yamaha, the team he started out with. After three preparatory races in 2015, he participated in his first Dakar in 2016. The Frenchman led the race in 2018 and 2022 before letting it slip away, each time just a few days from the finish. On four of his eight appearances, the native of France's Nord region living in Andorra had to retire from the race. On the other four occasions, the podium has always eluded him. Twice fourth (2022 and 2017), once fifth (2023) and once sixth (2016). After moving to Honda at the end of 2021, 'VBA' will enter his third complete season in red in W2RC. In 2023, the Frenchman won the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge before finishing sixth, fifth and seventh in the last three rounds of the W2RC. 'VBA' finished runner-up in 2021 and 3rd in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, Adrien will set off again the day after his 33rd birthday on his ninth Dakar. The tall blond still wants to give himself the ultimate gift: victory.