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Update on Team DOME-BMW in 2004 Dakar Rally

Plumb survives Dakar ordeal

Team DOME BMW’s Nick Plumb has returned to safety after being stranded alone in the African
desert while competing in the gruelling 18-day 2004 Telefònica Dakar. The 25-year-old
Britwasreported lost yesterday but by sheer wits and determination Nick has successfully managed
to find his way back to civilisation.

Nick’s problems began on stage six of the rally on Tuesday, when his modified rear after-market
air suspension unit failed. Ever resourceful, Nick had been carrying a solid rod just in case this
happened, which he was able to fit and transform his BMW F650 GS into a "hardtail".

Exhausted and hungry, the youngster today spoke of his ordeal: "After the suspension problems
I had on Tuesday, Simon (Team Dome BMW team-mate) and I finally arrived at the Bivouac at
1.30am. However, we were due to depart for the next stage just one hour later!

"The race organisers were not going to let us compete because we hadn’t had any sleep. So we
went to the medics and convinced them that if we got some sleep that we could continue in the
event. So Si and I had a quick sleep while our support team worked on the bikes.

"We started stage seven (Wednesday) at the back of the field and everything went really well for
most of the day. We came across a huge sand dune where lots of cars and bikes had stopped
and I assumed they were stuck. Simon and I decided that we had to try and get around the sand
dune so we split up. Then I had a problem with the battery and I really couldn’t go anywhere.

"From where I was stuck I could still see all the cars and bikes at the sand dune but it was quite a
long way off and it was getting dark. I decided to leave the bike and take my GPS and emergency
beacon and try and find some help. I was walking through the desert and yelling out for someone’s
attention. Ironically the person that came to my aid was Simon. We went back to my bike and tried
swapping the batteries on both bikes and a few other options. Eventually we were up and running,
although we could only ride slowly.

"We were about six kilometres from Check Point 4 and that’s when the battery really gave out. We
just couldn’t get it started. Si and decided that he should continue and I should be collected by the
sweeper vehicle. I stayed by the course and waited. It was dark by then but I thought I might be
able to find an abandoned bike back at the dunes with a battery I could use.

"I walked toward the dunes, but they were really far. I hadn’t slept or eaten and it was really dark.
I had to keep stopping to rest. I decided that it was too far and I might get in trouble if I ventured
way off course. So I walked back to my bike and tried to sleep.

"It was freezing. I left my helmet and goggles on so that I could protect myself from the sand and
the cold wind. Luckily I was wearing a Gore-Tex suit and that helped to keep me a little warm,
but I had to keep getting up and walking around to warm up.

"In the morning I woke to the sight of five camels staring at me – very surreal! Later a French
rider came by who had swapped his broken bike for an injured rider’s one. He couldn’t speak
English but I managed to convince him that we should swap the batteries on our bikes.

"Christoph (the French rider) agreed and we were able to get the bikes going. We managed to ride
back to the Bivouac but almost everyone had gone. An hour after we arrived, five of us were
packed into a car and driven 500km to Mauritania Airport. It was an eight or nine hour trip. We
were then flown to Tunisia from where we caught a flight to Paris.

"I hadn’t eaten in days… we weren’t given any food or water when we arrived at the Bivouac.
The first time we ate was on the plane. We haven’t had a chance to shower and I’m still wearing
my race suit because all of my clothes have moved on with the race."

At the time of writing, Team DOME BMW’s Simon Pavey is currently competing in today’s ninth
stage from Tidjikja to Nema – at 736kms, it is the longest and hardest stage in the 2004 Telefónica
Dakar Rally. Despite all the delays Simon has experienced while helping out his team-mate, he is
currently 75th in the overall standings.

For more information or a high-resolution image call Kylie Maebus or Andy Dukes on
08000 131 282, visit www.dakar.com or www.worldofbmw.com or see edited highlights every
day on British Eurosport.