Image: Supplied.

Australian Toby Price finished just shy of the podium at the Rally du Maroc for the final round of the 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, despite claiming victory on the final stage.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider was playing catch up after running into navigational troubles on the penultimate day, charging to victory in the fifth and final stage to wind up fourth overall.

The Queenslander is hopeful the rally will position him strongly for the 2020 Dakar Rally, where he’s set to defend his crown.

“It hasn’t been a bad rally for me, I only just missed out on the podium, which is frustrating, but it’s been really good training,” Price explained. “I knew I had to push really hard on that last stage and was making up good time but then had a small crash and gave myself a bit of a stiff neck.

“I missed out on the podium by just seven seconds but all-in-all I’m pleased with how I rode. Navigation was really tricky here and we had to learn to ride with the minimum of information. I’m hoping that will put us in a good position for January and the Dakar Rally.”

Price missed the first two rounds of the series as he continued to recover from a broken wrist, earning a ranking of ninth.