Australian Toby Price has defied the odds to take out the 2019 Dakar Rally after winning the final stage on Friday morning. 

Price went into the stage holding a one-minute lead over Chillean Pablo Quintanilla before eventually securing the prestigious rally by nine minutes over KTM teammate and 2018 champion Matthias Walkner. 

Nursing a broken wrist for the entire 10-day event, it was a courageous effort by Price, who won the event for the second time in his career, his first being in 2016. 

“It feels amazing to stand here knowing I have won the Dakar, I don’t think it has really sunk in yet,” Price said post-rally.

“My Red Bull KTM bike has been amazing, I want to say a big thank you to my mechanic for that. The whole crew here do an amazing job – without them I would be no one. 

“I thought at the beginning of the event I would be lucky to even make the rest day.

“I thought I would only be able to do two stages and then pull out and that would have been me done, but the support from everyone back home in Australia and then having some things go my way and a bit of luck, it just worked out in the end.

“The plan now is to go home and relax for a little while, I know I need to have my wrist seen to, so I’ll get that sorted and then it won’t be long before we start it all over again.

“I’m over the moon, I’m so damned stoked. It’s been a long 10 days.”

Joining Price and Walkner on the podium was another KTM driver and 2017 winner in Sam Sunderland, with Price’s victory making it 18 consecutive victories for the team. 

Click here for results.

While the DEWALT SXS Australian driver managed to pull off one of the most the remarkable victories on the bike in his career, the same success could not be replicated by fellow Australians Steve Riley and Trevor Hanks in the car category.

Riley and Hanks had been making solid progress in the first half of the rally, before being forced to withdraw early on the sixth stage after suffering from impact with a sand dune.

As a result of the nosedive, Riley was airlifted to hospital to check on any back trauma, while Hanks walked away from the accident sore but unharmed.

Following the disappointing withdrawal, the team released a statement addressing the accident and the drivers.

“It is with regret that the battlers from down under have withdrawn from Dakar 2019,” The statement read.

“Early in the competitive stage today, Steve and Trev nosed the car over a sand dune which has resulted in Steve being airlifted to Lima for checks in regards to any back trauma and Trev although sore, is in good spirits considering the impact. 

“When we know more we will keep you all up to date. Thanks for all your support and well wishes.

Since the accident, Riley has been cleared of any serious injury.

For more information on the 2019 Dakar Rally, click here.