Malle Moto is already the toughest way to race the Dakar Rally since riders are forbidden from outside assistance. Tiziano Internó wants to crank it up a notch anyway.

At EICMA, where his 2025 Honda CRF450RX Rally was on display as part of the Desert Queens exhibit, Internó revealed he plans to go “Ultra Dakar” in 2026. Besides being a Malle Moto rider again, which means racing without a crew to service his bike so he has to do so himself, he will also carry two large Westwind Moto bags during each stage. Each bag will contain “tools, spare parts, sleeping bag, everything” he needs in the race and bivouac between legs.

Internó’s goal is to be fully self-sufficient and rely on as few of the organizers’ resources as possible. While Malle Moto riders are on their own for the most part, the ASO and class sponsor Motul provide various items for them like an 80-liter trunk for their personal belongings and tools, a tent and sleeping bag, bike jack and cover, and a complete wheel set with rim and tires.

“This is an idea that only popped into my head very recently. It made me wonder, ‘Why do I race?’,” said Internó.

“I’m not a rider. I never said I wanted to race or win the Dakar. As much as I’m fascinated by motorcycles and I think this category is the right fit for me, I feel that today’s Dakar is still too extreme. The stages are getting increasingly tough and increasingly technical. After five years of touring Saudi Arabia, all the riders are running around like sheep, following the same tracks as last year. They don’t read the roadbook or see the terrain.

“It’s nice, but something’s missing. Since that ‘something’ doesn’t come from new locations or the organizers, I thought I’d try to find it myself.”

Announcing his plan at EICMA was deliberate as Desert Queens was an exhibition of riders throughout the Dakar’s 46-year existence; Internó’s Honda and his tent from the 2025 edition were also on display alongside 30 other motorcycles in the race’s history. Riders from the early Paris–Dakar era often raced with similar arrangements, having gear bags on their saddles and working by themselves.

The Malle Moto class, officially called Original by Motul and a subcategory of Rally2, was also designed to pay tribute to the rally’s days of yore. Although any rider can race solo, only 35 are permitted to be classified in ObM and all are amateurs to further drive home the old-school feel.

Besides the extra challenge and nod to history, Internó added he also partly got the idea from his brother-in-law and doing adventure riding in Africa.

2025 was the Italian’s fifth Dakar, all in Malle Moto. He finished a career-best tenth in ObM and 36th in Rally2.

Featured image credit: Julien Delfosse / DPPI / ASO