Croatia's Dakar Has Its Guardian
Toni Matijević has led the safety and rescue team at the Dinaric Rally for five years, where the key is reaching an injured driver as quickly as possible on the rugged terrain of Dinara.
Toni Matijević has led the safety and rescue team at the Dinaric Rally for five years, where the key is reaching an injured driver as quickly as possible on the rugged terrain of Dinara.
The Dinaric Rally, also known as 'Croatia's Dakar', will once again take drivers through the demanding terrains of Dinara from August 22 to 28, 2026. Behind the scenes, the safety of competitors is overseen by a team led by Toni "Švabo" Matijević, an experienced member of the Mountain Rescue Service (GSS) who has held this role for five years.
In an interview with Net.hr, Matijević detailed how rescue operations are organized at one of the most challenging off-road races in the region, whose starting camp will welcome competitors in Knin this year.
Matijević explained that he is in charge of the main rescue operations, specifically leading the team that recovers vehicles in case of breakdowns or damage. The organization is set up with five teams, or five vehicles, exclusively dedicated to providing medical and first aid to injured drivers.
In addition, three or four teams are deployed on the ground for recovery, i.e., extracting vehicles. "But even these teams, the three or four, have all the necessary first aid supplies and knowledge to provide first aid if needed," Matijević emphasized.
The biggest challenge on the inaccessible terrain of Dinara is the speed of reaching an injured driver. Matijević points out that teams are positioned so that at any given moment, one team is no more than 45 minutes away from every driver on the course.
"Well, one of the biggest challenges is getting to the exact location where the drivers are as quickly as possible. Our teams are positioned so that at any moment, a team is at most 45 minutes away from an injured driver, keeping us within that golden hour. In most cases, from past experience, our teams reach the injured drivers within about fifteen minutes," said Matijević.
Although the course is extremely demanding, drivers always return for the unique experience. Matijević expects around 160 drivers, and from past experience, he notices a pattern: everyone first talks about the stunning views and the perfect yet harsh terrains, and only then about how tough the driving was.
"In that sense, we can say that those beautiful terrains, which are, let's say, harsh and demanding for drivers, are also a beauty that drivers get to see," he said.
The Dinaric Rally 2026 features five stages, each up to several hundred kilometers long, including special sections through the Dinarides and a marathon stage without external assistance. Viewers can follow the most exciting parts of the competition exclusively on the Voyo platform, live on Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23.
At the end of the interview, Matijević shared his hopes for the upcoming rally: "We hope everything goes smoothly and that we have as few injuries on the terrain as possible, that the drivers have a great time, enjoy themselves, and get to see all the beauty of Croatia, Dinara, and the region we'll be driving through."
