Aussie ‘MacGyver’ saves the day with cable ties

Mullet-wearing bush mechanic stuns the motorcycle world with a gruelling ride against the odds in legendary desert race.

Australian motorcycle rider Toby Price shocked the motorcycle world by racing on a tyre held together with cable ties. Picture: Facebook, Toby Price Racing.

Australian motorcycle racer Toby Price has shocked the motorcycle world with a two cent fix that saved his multimillion-dollar Dakar Rally campaign by racing with a tyre held together by cable ties.

Price destroyed a tyre on sharp rocks in the Saudi desert on stage seven of the two-week-long epic.

Australia's Toby Price stunned the motorcycle world by riding in the Dakar Rally on a tyre held together with cable ties.

New rules preventing riders from receiving fresh equipment or outside assistance on “marathon” stages of the race meant the big Queenslander had to retire his KTM or bodge together a quick repair ahead of a 709 kilometre day in the dunes.

Remarkably, Price finished the day’s competition in second place to save his chance of a third Dakar title.

KTM's Australian biker Toby Price competes during the 6th Stage of the Dakar Rally 2021 between Buraydah and Hail, in Saudi Arabia. Photo: Franck Fife / AFP

“I’m super surprised we’re here,” he said.

“My last zip tie was pretty much around the 200km mark.

“It’s remarkable it held together.”

Price’s sponsor, Red Bull Motorsports, said his efforts proved the adage that “there’s nothing in this world that can’t be fixed with cable ties and duct tape.”

Australia's Toby Price stunned the motorcycle world by riding in the Dakar Rally on a tyre held together with cable ties.

The Australian rider is famously tough, having won the Dakar with a broken wrist in 2019.

He finished first in an early stage of this year’s race with no rear brakes.

Race fans on social media praised his ingenuity, likening him to the cult TV character “Macgyver” famous for solving complex problems with everyday objects.

Richard Dean Anderson starred as MacGyver.

Some observers said it was “so stupid and dangerous” that Price was forced to race on ruined rubber.

The Australian rider reached the end of the gruelling stage and said “we’re here, I’ll claim it”.

“I don’t want to do that again.”

Originally published as Aussie ‘MacGyver’ saves the day with cable ties