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The 2010 Tuareg Rally has been won in convincing style by Mick Tomkinson. The rally, which starts in Nador in Morocco and finishes in Mojacar, Spain, includes 7 days and 2,500km of off-road competition, with a strong international entry of around 200 bikes and 30 cars. Mick won the Premier in the Moto Profi category which had over 160 entrants this year.

Mick, riding his '04 KTM450EXC for the fourth time in this event (achieved 2nd place 2009), lead Day 1 with a 1 minute advantage over Italy's Andrea Tronconi after the 400km Nador to Missour stage. Slovenia's Miran Stanovnik KTM690 took a 9 minute advantage after Day 2 over Tomkinson, who dropped to 5th after a mixed day on the 500km Missour-Mersouga leg.

Day 3 consisted of 185km of racing special, comprised of three sets of dunes mixed with fast desert tracks and saw Tomkinson's 450 KTM back in the lead with a 6 minute advantage over Thomas Kleinwachter's 525 Beta of Germany. Stanovnik's challenge for the win was effectively ended when he missed two check points in the last set of dunes. Following this stage, Mick said "I found the first set of dunes difficult to read and was caught out a few times by the soft sand. I was passed by Miran and at CP1 was 2-3 minutes behind but at CP2 I was back in touch. However, the faster tracks suited the power and stability of the 690 and although the lead changed at times, we arrived at CP3 together. I stopped for fuel (Miran didn't need to) and finished the stage alone with no problems."

Day 4's King Stage proved to be the decisive day. The day is based in the dunes of Erg Chebi. Mick stretched his lead to 28mins over Martin Fontyn of Belgium, as Kleinwachter slipped to third a further 10mins adrift. 53 bikes finished the 185km course, a record high for the event. The dune race of day 5, four laps of a 25km course finishing at the top of the big dune on the final lap, saw Tomkinson extend his advantage over Fontyn's KTM530 to 33mins with Kleinwachter closing the gap to second to only 1minute. Day 6 has the field making the 500km trek North leaving the dunes of Mersouga behind, finishing the day in Missor. It is known of the "Day of the Dead Engines" and includes some of the most demanding tracks of the rally. Wes Beane, Rally Raid Products KTM690, held a strong 7th place, so he and Mick rode the stage together to safeguard their positions.

The 7th day saw Kleinwachter pass Fontyn to take second - a remarkable ride considering his 525 Beta only had 5th and 6th gears. Mick and Wes rode the first timed special together and were then joined by rally first-timer, Pete Sonley 450 Yamaha, for the final timed special of the rally. As the weather worsened, the final navigation stage in Morocco was cancelled. After an hour and a half ride on the road in pouring rain, Mick, flanked by his team mates, arrived back in the port of Nador.

Day 8 saw the event back in Spain and the competition close with a 2km sprint which , fittingly, had the top 4 riders cross the line together to the applause of their fellow competitors.

Only 18 bikes completed the rally without penalties, including Mick, Wes Beane, and Pete Sonley, all of Team Brown UK.

Unfortunately for Mick, an injury which he sustained on the evening of Day 3 of the rally, which was treated at the time and had not raised any cause for concern, had got infected. Within half an hour of seeing a doctor in the UK, he was on a drip and admitted to hospital for 3 days. At home now, on crutches and taking antibiotics for cellulitis, he said "I had a doctor's appointment for the next day, but was in so much pain, went to A&E. Had it been left any longer, I could have lost my foot."