Less than half a decade after its conception in 1979, the Paris-Dakar Rally quickly became an ultra-high-profile event, attracting both deep-pocketed factory race teams and big-name sponsors alike. One early …

In 1985, motorcyclist Gaston Rahier, who measured just above five feet but rode a disproportionately (and comically) massive BMX bike, won the famous Paris-Dakar rally for the second year in …