Richard Sainct was a rally raid bike legend, winning the Dakar Rally three times before his passing in 2004. Over two decades later, his son Noa hopes to follow in his footsteps.

The younger Sainct will head to Morocco in April to compete in the Carta Rallye, racing a KTM bike. From there, he’s open to doing more desert rallies like the Rallye du Maroc in October before someday racing the Dakar Rally, possibly as early as 2026.

Noa and his brother Matéo are primarily enduro riders, but the former has developed an interest in rally in recent times. In an April 2024 interview with Velay Attractivité, he admitted to enjoying rally riding more than enduro after doing a test alongside Matéo and Dakar veteran Jean Brucy in the Moroccan desert.

If the Carta and Maroc rallies go well, Dakar will be on his sights “if I feel ready and everything is okay financially.”

He already has some rally experience, albeit mainly in European forests and mountains with series like the Italian Motorally Championship.

His father Richard won the Dakar on a bike in 1999, 2000, and 2003. After finishing second in the 2004 edition, he died in an accident during the Rallye des Pharaons. Trophée Richard Sainct, a memorial enduro race held ten years after his death, was revived by his sons to commemorate the 20th anniversary in June 2024.

The 2025 Carta Rallye will take place on April 14–20.

Featured image credit: MG Photos