Aussie rider Price wins rally world title

Australian rider Toby Price has sealed a maiden cross-country rallies world championship after winning the Rally of Morocco.

The 31-year-old crossed the line seven minutes and 32 seconds ahead of fellow KTM rider Matthias Walkner after the event’s fifth stage to claim the title.

“To win the world championship with a win here in Morocco makes it all that little bit sweeter,” Price said.

The New South Welshman, who became Australia’s first and only Dakar Rally motorcycle category winner in 2016, was clutch in the fifth and final round of the season.

With a prologue victory and two stage wins, Price overturned a deficit to leapfrog six points clear of two-time title winner Pablo Quintanilla after the Chilean was fourth overall in Morocco.

Price admitted the high stakes on Tuesday (AEST) made for some mid-race butterflies.

“I was nervous out there on the final stage today,” he said.

“There are no guarantees in rally racing, especially when I had to lead the stage out.”

Price feared he may have been coming from too far back to feature in title calculations after the Australian gave Quintanilla a head start in March by finishing seventh in the opening round at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

“I didn’t expect to be at the top of the list at the end of it,” he said.

“I had some bad luck back in Abu Dhabi at the beginning of the year, but after that every rally has gone well and I’ve finished on the podium at every round.

“This is my first world championship in any category so I am so happy.”

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