KOCHI: It is 9 am on a weekday in the town of Sauve in southern France. Two young men set out on motorcycles. Harith Noah and Michael Metge chat as they ride on and on… more than 100km. They return, break for lunch, take a nap and in the evening, they go to the gym.
Both men have been in strenuous training for the past several months. And the reason is simple. They are going to take part in one of the most demanding races on the planet: The Dakar Rally. The 13-day event begins on January 5. The distance to be traversed is 7,800km. Despite the name ‘Dakar’ (which is in Senegal), the rally is taking place in Saudi Arabia, albeit for the first time.
In the bike category, more than 250 riders are expected to participate. There are two Indians among them -- Shoranur native Noah and C S Santosh from Bengaluru. Noah is a member of TVS Racing which is in partnership with French motorcycle manufacturer Sherco. And the team is called Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team. Noah will be riding the company-built RTR 450, which can attain speeds of over 170km per hour.
A few days ago, Noah returned to Shoranur to spend Christmas with his parents Mohammed Rafi K V, a businessman, and Susanne, an artist and farmer. Noah is a lean muscular man with not an ounce of fat anywhere on his body.
Noah looks relaxed but he does admit he is feeling nervous. “It is one of the biggest races of my career,” he says. “My target is to perform well and finish the race. I am keen to get the experience so that I can do well in future.”
It was his father who unwittingly ignited the passion in him. On Noah’s 16th birthday, Rafi gifted him a motorbike. Within a week, Noah learnt to ride and took part in a local race and came last. That was the only time he has come last. Today, in his house, there are more than one hundred trophies. He has been a National Supercross Champion several times in the SX1, SX2 and Class 2 categories.
Noah’s international rally debut was in the 2018 Rallye du Maroc in Morocco which he completed even though he sustained an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament tear) and meniscus injury during the second stage of the race. He took everyone by surprise when he finished seventh in his comeback race, the 2019 Baja Aragon. In between all this, he secured a degree in sports science from Manchester Metropolitan University.
Meanwhile, Rafi brings out the gear. There is a helmet, gloves, goggles, earplugs to cancel out the noise, a body armour jacket, knee braces and riding boots. “It does not mean that when you fall, you cannot get injured, but it protects you a bit,” says Noah.
“The trick is to try to roll when you hit the ground, but it is not a foolproof method.” So far, the 26-year-old has undergone two collar bone as well as knee surgeries. “This is part and parcel of racing,” he says, with a smile. “But I am ready now, to do my best.”