Price won the Finke Desert Race as a rookie over the weekend.

Motorex KTM Off-Road Team rider Toby Price has taken victory in the bikes competition at the 2010 Tattersall’s Finke Desert race, the 22-year-old becoming only the third rider in the 35 year history of the race to win at his first attempt.

Price, from Singleton in New South Wales, on his factory-supported #587 KTM crossed the finish line in Alice Springs today taking it relatively easily on his trip back after having a commanding 10 minute 13.6 second lead at the overnight break.

“I have no words to describe my win at Finke,” said Price. “It’s an awesome feeling. To just survive Finke is a challenge in itself, and for these guys who do it all the time it’s hats off to them they’re amazing.

“I just want to say a big hats off Motorex KTM Off-Road Racing and the HSE Group for all the support they threw in to give me the chance to ride Finke, and a big personal thanks goes to Brad Williscroft and Ben Grabham, who together were an open book with their knowledge of the track and set up.

“They didn’t hold back on sharing with me their years of experience, and trade secrets, they definitely helped me get to this point, and I feel my win is a big tribute to their contribution.”

In second place was another KTM rider Todd Smith with a total time of 4 hours 13 minutes 23.38 seconds.

Smith placed eighth in last year’s event that was his first time in the Finke. Smith had a hard trip down to Finke yesterday, crashing and then having difficulty starting his bike at a fuel stop. He finished nearly ten minutes behind the winning rider.

Third on the podium was local Alice Springs rider and 2006 Finke winner Ryan Branford aboard his # X99 Honda CRF450R who battled all the way back to Finke with an inoperative rear brake and a buckled front rim that luckily did not cause a flat tyre.

Branford recorded the fastest time back to Finke today taking 2 hours 4 minutes and 14.81 seconds.

Defending Australian Off-Road Champion Price’s winning time for his inaugural Finke victory was 4 hours 3 minutes and 25.62 seconds

Last year’s winner Ben Grabham retired from this year’s event with mechanical problems.

Grabham’s time last year (2009) was 4 hours 1 minute and 26 seconds.