Vincent Biau was sidelined for much of the Africa Eco Race’s opening week with the flu, but he was able to rejoin the race for Stage #5 on Saturday. While he rode conservatively, he feels good to go for the rest of the way. Getting a rest day on Sunday only solidified that.

Biau, making his AER debut instead of doing the Dakar Rally for a second time, finished 13th among multi-cylinder bikes between 650cc and 1000cc in Stage #1 on Tuesday. After that, however, he contracted what he described as “all the flu symptoms, but even worse: fever, vomiting, couldn’t keep anything down. I woke up and had trouble standing.”

This left him stuck in a 4×4 for the rest of the week, sleeping as it traveled with the race from bivouac to bivouac.

By Saturday, he felt better enough to start riding again. Stage #5 from Laayoune to Dakhla was a navigational nightmare for most riders who got lost, including the leaders, but Biau was mainly focused on just reaching the finish without issue. He finished 12th in class and 53rd overall.

“The special was uneventful, made up of sandy tracks and large plateaus, with no real challenges other than staying at full throttle for the entire distance,” he explained. “My fully stock Suzuki told me not to take risks and to keep at a steady speed to preserve both the bike and myself.

“Since this was a recovery stage, I completed the 430 kilometers without crashing or taking any unnecessary risks.”

With the race set to head into Mauritania, Sunday was a rest day. Besides getting another day to fully ensure he was back to good health, he spent it checking on his bike. He was not the only rider taking advantage of the free day to recover as Alessandro Botturi, who is second overall, contracted a fever on Saturday.

While his chances of contending for position are out the window, he’s just glad to race again.

“I’m very happy to be able to get back on the bike, not be listed as a DNF, and keep enjoying this rally as much as I can,” Biau noted. “I hope my condition continues to improve and the fever finally subsides.

“Now, I’m going back to DIYing the bike, eating and sleeping a bit, because tomorrow is an early start to cross the border between Morocco and Mauritania with the convoy before tackling the next special.”

Featured image credit: Vincent Biau / BLKMRKT