The first Dakar Rally run in South America was a huge success for South Africans with Giniel de Villiers driving to victory and Ralph Pitchford navigating to second in an historic Volkswagen Race Touareg 1-2. Not to mention the SA-built and run Nissans ending fourth and fifth.

De Villiers and Pitchford returned home Tuesday and we caught up with them at Volkswagen?s Midrand offices Wednesday morning?

One of the main aspects we wanted to establish is when exactly team orders were issued to ensure the winning Volkswagens drove home in race order. There was a critical point on day 12 when Carlos Sainz crashed out and De Villiers took the lead by leapfrogging Pitchford and his American driver Mark Miller to take the overall lead by just 2 minutes 35 seconds.

"On day nine we got lost and lost about twelve minutes," De Villiers explained. "Then the following day we came up a dune and a bike crashed in front of us. We were directed off the track and wound up in a hole on top of a dune and lost a further 18 minutes, so we were in total 41 minutes behind Carlos Sainz and a few seconds behind Mark and Ralph."

"It was disappointing, but on day twelve we were expecting it to be really tough and it was. But Dirk made up for his day 9 mistake and I made up for mine on day 10 with a brilliant run and perfect navigation.

"We couldn?t believe it when we arrived first and we were waiting at the final control and nobody arrived. Eventually Mark and Ralph clocked in and we later found out that Carlos had crashed out, so we were leading by 2 minutes 35.

"At that point we had a very nervous team boss Kris Nissen now very eager to finish and instructions came from the VW board in Germany that we were to maintain position and drive home to the finish.

"So yes, in reality we won the Dakar by just 2 minutes 35 seconds from Mark and Ralph [rather than the almost 10 minutes at the finish after Miller tapped off to ensure team orders were obeyed]. We were just lucky to be the ones ahead at that time. The next day we waited for our team-mates and we drove on in formation."

"We were a little unlucky on the day," Pitchford explained. "Carlos was on the road ahead of us, hut he had got lost before he rolled out, which meant we were on the right track but out in front and opening the road, which is a difficult task. So we lost time to Giniel who was running behind us on the road and able to go a bit quicker on the tracks the cars ahead had laid ? but that's racing, isn't it?"

Looking back at the race, De Villiers reflected on his success and victory.

"It was such an incredible feeling," he explained. "I still can't believe it, really but it was more challenging than ever."

"It was the first time in South America for the Dakar, so nobody had any idea of what it would be like. Some people said the organisation wasn't good, but I never saw it like that ? they knew the Dakar stages backward but this was all new ? the dunes were incredibly big and scary, there was so much dust and passing bikes is always so stressful.

"The last 30 kilometres was the worst, I was looking at the odo counting down every metre and when we crossed the line, it was just an unbelievable feeling."

Despite his nerves and anxiety to get to the finish, De Villiers still won the last stage.

"It was such a pleasure to bring it home for the team ? for the crew, the team back in Germany and for South Africa ? it was just reward for all. We won for the team."

Pitchford expressed similar sentiments. "It was a fantastic race, my best Dakar so far for sure ? it was just great to be running among the likes of Sainz, Peterhansel, Gordon and the like and being competitive."

"Navigation was quite a task ? the road book wasn't detailed enough and it was a huge challenge to keep on track and find the waypoints. I have also never seen such big dunes ? their crests were extreme and going down the other side was so scary ? even if we had the best possible equipment.

"The people of Argentina and Chile were also brilliant ? it was fantastic to see them cheering and waving us on ? hundreds of thousands of them. The last 380km was lined three, four or five deep ? I don't even think the Tour de France has such a big turnout. It was brilliant for the event ? even though the police occasionally battled to contain their enthusiasm at times on the stages!"

An unknown fact on De Villiers' victory is that he drove the entire event with an injured back.

"I hurt my back in training before the Dakar ? damaging a spinal disc and I thought it was all over," he admitted. "But the specialist said that if I could stand on my toes every morning I'd be OK.

"So that?s what I did ? every morning I woke up I was immediately up on my toes! We also altered my seat a little to better support my back, but I had a little inspiration too?

"Before I left, I read a story on Lance Armstrong, who said pain is temporary, but if you don't overcome it, it's forever. Yes, my back is still quite sore after 46 hours of racing flat out, but that pain is nothing to me?"

Looking back at some of the aspects one cannot see from the TV or read in the media, De Villiers and Pitchford told of long days work. "It's up at 5am ? although we were really lucky in Agentina and Chile to have hotel rooms rather than little tents like we did in Africa," De Villiers explained.

"Then we set off on the open section and start the stage at around nine. We finally get back to the bivouac by five, if we're lucky. Then it's the debrief, back to the hotel by seven and early to bed ? the same routine every day.

"Temperatures were far higher than in Africa as it was winter there but in Argentina its midsummer and 40 degrees Celcius outside. We have a rudimentary air conditining in the car that keeps it below 45 degrees C. I drank six litres of water every day and lost 2kg over the event," the super-lean driver revealed.

Pitchford explained the technicalities of the road book in finer detail. "The road book is a simple point to point description of the route, often with way too little detail. It lists all the dangers and cautions but often you are running straight through the bush on the odos, which do go out of calibration with wheelspin or braking.

"That's what happened to Sainz ? they misjudged a caution because the odo was a little out and fell in the ditch ? the trick is to avoid that kind of mistake.

"So every evening we prepare the road book, we refer to maps and satellite images and plan our route in detail ? with VW we work closely as a team and our preparation every day was thorough.

"In the car we have the odometer and a simple GPS supplied by the organisers, but the GPS only switches on 3km from a waypoint to guide us in, so we have to navigate off the odo and the road book to get into that zone, which really is a difficult task at times. And with the rain, tracks were often washed away too, so it was quite a task indeed.

"The GPS also switches on in towns to record your speed and prove you have slowed right down. We have a speed limiter in the car that we adjust to the recommended speed as soon as the GPS goes live ? otherwise we get penalised heavily."

De Villiers and Pitchford were asked why as South Africans they did not drive together. De Villiers explained that he joined VW two years before Pitchford and has established a strong relationship with navigator Dirk von Zistewitz after manager Kris Nissen had paired the duo. "When you have a good relationship with a navigator, it isn't wise to break it up. Dirk and I work very well together."

In conclusion, De Villiers explained the delight at winning the Dakar. "I have tried to win this thing for seven years now and came so close. We were second in 2006, and 2007 was so heartbreaking after leading and being let down by a broken engine.

"But this year we did it ? it was a huge win for the team and for myself ? but most significant on a personal note is that some people have noted that my win is on a par with Jody Scheckter winning the F1 world championship.

"To be put on the same level as a hero like Jody is the greatest honour to me."