Former MX3 world champion wins stage three of The Dakar

One of the fastest Austrians to swing a leg over a motorcycle, the 2012 FIM Motocross MX3 World Champion Matthias Walkner, has shaken up the off-road world with his recent stage win in the world famous Dakar rally.

Walkner won stage three yesterday 40 seconds clear of the reigning Dakar champion Marc Coma, “I already had a good feeling when I got to the finish because I knew I had a good day,” Walkner said in a KTM release. “But at the end, I was a bit tired and wasn’t concentrating so well and I made some small mistakes. It is an amazing feeling to win the stage and for sure, I didn’t expect this.”

Walkner is now sitting third in the overall standings, which is very impressive for a rookie on his Dakar debut.