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2009 Dakar Rally

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22122008/29/historical-new-chapter-world-s-toughest-offroad-race.html

Historical New Chapter In The World's Toughest Offroad Race

Mon 22 Dec, 02:53 PM

The Dakar, 5650 km of pure adventure over some of Argentina's and Chile's toughest terrain, will launch the KTM Factory team and many other participants riding the "Made in Austria" machines into 18 days of excitement and fierce competition.

Etienne Lavigne, the Dakar race director has described the event as existing "above all because of a longing for discovery and a capacity to confront the unknown". In the months and weeks leading up to the 18-day race through a major slice of the South American continent, the frisson of excitement has become a rush of adrenalin as the KTM team moves into the final countdown for the major rally event of the season.

A new era

The last minute cancellation on the eve of the 2008 Dakar left teams and organizers bitterly disappointed. While everyone admitted the cancellation was necessary as security could no longer be guaranteed in some of the countries of Africa, it also meant that a year of dedicated preparation had all been for nothing. Or was it? Now those same participants, including the KTM factory team are facing the inaugural 2009 Dakar in South America with renewed passion and determination.

The Olympic Games of rally sport

"This is the real "Olympic Games "of rally sport and because the 2009 Dakar will be at a completely different location it will surely generate a lot of global interest," said KTM team manager Alex Doringer. "It is always one of the biggest highlights every year for the KTM factory. From the point of view of the company, we don't just take care of the factory team. There are 235 competitors starting in the bikes category and more than 55% will be riding KTM machines."

Top class KTM factory team

Onboard the single cylinder, four-stroke KTM 690 Rally motorcycle for the KTM Factory Team will be previous Dakar winners Cyril Despres of France (Red Bull KTM) and Spaniard Marc Coma (Repsol KTM) who are not only each other's toughest rivals but also go into the race as the favourites. They are joined by Jordi Viladoms of Spain (Repsol KTM) and Frenchman Alain Duclos (Kaestle KTM).

"Even though a lot of things will change it is reasonable to expect that Marc will continue to be my principle rival," Despres said during preparation. "Wherever we race in the world it is usually between me and him and I can't see that being any different. That's fine by me. We always fight clean and have tremendous respect for each other."

Coma too is quietly confident: "We have a new Dakar in 2009 and this also means new deserts. But I am confident that it will also be great and that it will have the same kind of Dakar spirit. That means it will be hard and there will be risks to take."

Months of hard preparation; fantastic variety of terrain

Both of these leading riders have come off months of preparation on and off the bike, fine-tuning their physical and mental skills as well as those on their KTM machines. Both have had some experience riding in parts of South America, but there are also parts of the course that are completely new territory. Among the huge challenges and a much more varied amount of terrain, they face extremes of temperature and altitudes up to an oxygen-robbing, 4700 meters. Beginning and ending in Buenos Aires, the ride takes them over the legendary Argentina Pampas, into Patagonia, across the terrifyingly high Andes mountains, across hundreds of kilometers of desert and sand dunes so typical of the Chilean coastal areas, including the Atacama Desert, known as the world's driest.

Logistical challenges and local enthusiasm

The race also represents huge logistical challenges for organizers and teams but they take it up in the same adventurous spirit of the event. Organizers are also expecting an enthusiastic reaction from the local populations, especially as the South American countries have a solid tradition in rally sports.

Dakar obligatory for KTM

"To be at the biggest and most famous rally in the world is obligatory for KTM," said team manager Doringer. "We have enjoyed a lot of success in the past and with the way our team is working we can keep the positive image level very high. At the end of the day it is about selling bikes and a lot of it is about our image, how we perform in races and how we interact with our customers. I think we are one of the best in all of these things."

Exploring new horizons; facing new challenges

Stage One of the Dakar 2009 begins in Buenos Aires on Saturday January 3, 2009. Teams and riders will then be running on full gas until the completion of Stage 14 back in the Argentinean capital on January 17, 2009. KTM factory riders Despres and Coma, as the world's elite riders, are expected to be at the front of the field, but this is a brand new chapter in the history of the race. Lavigne, Director of the Dakar says: "Competitors who participate in this exceptional edition will have the opportunity to explore hew horizons on the grandiose territories offered them." The KTM factory team is "Ready to Race" in the first ever South American Dakar, to meet the challenges of those grandiose territories and are determined, once again, to make Orange the event's dominant colour. "Obviously we are favourites for the final victory," said Doringer. "So our first goal must be to achieve that ambition - a podium full of KTM factory riders would be nice!"
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Rear Tank

Might be for drinking water etc. Riders must carry an additional 3 liters plus somewhere on the bike other than in their hydraters?

Believe this is a rule?

BTW...Started reading a book yesterday that I finished late this morning that some Dakar devotees might be interested in. Lawrence Hacking's "To Dakar and Back"
ISBN-10 155022-808-0. Lawrence was the first Canuck to finish the Dakar and this is his privateer's perspective. Enjoyed it immensely and couldn't put it down. Perhaps the fact that I haven't been on the bike for over a month now and it just won't quit snowing enhanced my pleasure?

Happy Trails...Steverino :ca
 
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The other challenge in the Dakar: Moving 180 Tonnes

http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/htm...rticle&sid=100187&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

Logistics, in a race like the Dakar requires in-depth planning. David Serieys, Director of Logistics at the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team, reveals all the preparations made for the Dakar 2009

The work to prepare the Dakar 2009 began a few months ago in the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team`s logistics department when it learnt that the legendary African race was changing to another continent across the Atlantic Ocean. That was when the arrangements to get ready for the race really began, and the operation that moves behind the scenes, supplying St?®phane Peterhansel, Nani Roma, Luc Alphand and Hiroshi Masuoka, got into gear.




Everything that can be anticipated beforehand means less work when the cars are racing, so that "since the ASO announced in February which countries the cars would drive through we got right down to work, and as we got more information, around May or June, we have been able to be more accurate with the preparations" says David Serieys, Director of Logistics at the Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart. He is the director of the orchestra that carries out all the transport duties, of material and people, making sure that everything is synchronised so that he can concentrate on anything that crops up unexpectedly, for example, when the assistance vehicles have to go out or any other type of surprise that typically occur in a race of this type.

Logistics covers all the needs that the team may have: transport of material, fuel, clothes, hotels, planes, food, taking people to the airport, material for the rest stage, etc. In a team with 65 people, with 10 000km to be crossed, there are many needs. "The work is practically the same as in Africa, and the responsibilities have not changed either. In the same way as for Africa, when the work on the preparation begins we have a blank sheet of paper and then everything is added and prepared. The venue has changed but we have a few references though because we have competed in the Rally PatagoniaÔÇôAtacama, so we are not like fish totally out of water".

Although the amount of work has been the same, for this edition the time to move everything has been shorter. Everything had to be in place for the last week of November when the containers left Le Havre, France on a cargo ship chartered by the organisers, with the cars, motorbikes, quads, trucks and assistance vehicles for the Dakar 2009. The Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart is sending seven trucks and eight cars to provide assistance during the race. A load of around 650m3, that is 170 tonnes, and already on their way to Buenos Aires.

The four Racing Lancer for the race have not been sent on the ship provided by the organisers; these will be transported on 21st December from Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris on a Boeing 747 transport plane directly to Buenos Aires. To do this it is necessary to take the cars from Pont de Vaux, where the team is based, to Paris on special lorries. On the plane the security measures are very important, and the four Racing Lancer will be placed on aviation pallets loaded with a maximum of 30 litres of fuel in their tanks. The extinguishers have to be taken out and packed in special boxes, and the compressed air bottles have to be emptied. In total between nine and ten tonnes will be sent by airplane ÔÇô each car weighs about 1 900kg ÔÇô at the same time the trip is used to transport other parts and spares that did not go by ship. Moreover, the plan is to send a second load by plane directly to Valpara?¡so (Chile), where the participants get to enjoy a day`s rest on 10th January. A container has also been sent to Valpara?¡so with more parts and spares.

Repsol has already transported 28 000 litres of diesel fuel, especially developed in collaboration with the team, to South America: 18 000 litres to Argentina and 10 000 litres to Chile. After it arrives the team must manage and assume all the logistics, its storage and transport to each bivouac. The Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart will use two lorries in Argentina and one in Chile, and these will do relays so as to arrive at each bivouac at the right moment and supply all the fuel prepared by the Centro de Tecnolog?¡a de Repsol.

Once the race is on, the team`s logistics will be in the hands of two T4 6X6 trucks which will transport mechanics, tyres, spares and equipment. These follow the same route as the competitors, always ready to help one of the four Lancer Racing if they have any kind of problem. In addition to the two T4 in the race, the team`s fleet consists of another 5 T5 trucks to transport tyres, spares and equipment and 8 SUVs for the mechanics, technicians and management. These vehicles take an alternative route to the race.

These are two more than were going to be taken to last year`s race because the number of technicians needed for the new Racing Lancer is higher, another eight have been added, "since this is a totally new car it is preferable to have more hands available to work on each one". In total there will be thirty mechanics there, five responsible for spares and storage, four body specialists, four electricians, five technicians, three for logistics, an osteopath, eighteen drivers and mechanics for the different service vehicles, three members of the team management and the eight racing drivers and their co-drivers.

A year ago the Repsol Mitsubishi Team proudly recognised that its big advantage over its main rivals was its wide experience in Africa. The fact that the race is now on another continent will balance things respect to the rest of the teams as everybody will start from zero. However, the team`s know-how, gathered over many years will once again be the ace up the sleeve of the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart team, a team that well knows that it is attention to the smallest details that make a team great.
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BMW riders in the Dakar:

http://www.6days.nl/dakar/bmw/The Dakar dream continues.htm

The Dakar dream continues...

As the countdown continues to the 2009 Dakar Rally, which takes place for the first time in South America, a surprising number of BMW racers from all over the world will be joining Simon Pavey and his G 650 Xchallenge on the start line in Buenos Aires.

Off-Road legend Pierre Karsmakers will also ride a G 650 Xchallenge and is delighted to be among those who will be experiencing the first Dakar on South American soil. The 62-year-old former motocross and supercross champion, and veteran of several Paris-Dakar rallies will be using the same bike that he competed on in this yearÔÇÖs Heroes Legend Rallye and canÔÇÖt wait to experience riding on a new continent.

ÔÇ£Although IÔÇÖve competed in many Paris-Dakar rallies, the thought of going to South America to ride is pretty exciting,ÔÇØ said the Dutchman. ÔÇ£IÔÇÖve been training hard and riding quite a bit, as well as working out at the gym. In fact, my sports doctor said that I need to put on six kilos, so this gives me an opportunity to enjoy a few drinks and nice food over the Christmas holidays! At my age, IÔÇÖm not going to be challenging for stage victories, but I do want to get a good result, so I will be finding a good rhythm and riding at my own pace. My main objective is to make it all the way to the finish without picking up any injuries, making sure that I enjoy myself along the way!ÔÇØ

PierreÔÇÖs G 650 Xchallenge has been carefully prepared by Dutch BMW dealer Bert Duursma, who specialises in converting motorcycles for desert rallies. Bert believes that the G 650 Xchallenge is a very reliable and strong rally bike ÔÇô so much so that unlike most competitors, Pierre is doing the 2009 Dakar without relying on any assistance or mechanical support other than what he can provide himself.

ÔÇ£The bike Pierre will use to participate in the Dakar is the same bike he used earlier this year in the Heroes Legend,ÔÇØ said Bert. ÔÇ£Because of this, we actually only had to replace oil and oil filter, chainset, air filter and some other minor things to make the bike ready for the Dakar. These G 650 Xchallenge bikes are unbelievably reliable ÔÇô this is why Pierre goes to Dakar without any assistance, because he believes the bike wonÔÇÖt let him down, so he needs no help. I hope he will be right!ÔÇØ

An event like the Dakar obviously attracts its fair share of brave characters, and in addition to Pierre Karsmakers and Simon Pavey participating on their G 650 Xchallenge machines, there are several competitors who are putting their faith in rally-prepared versions of the new G 450 X sport enduro.

Frenchman Hugo Payen already has a Dakar finishers medal (from the 2005 rally) and has also competed in many off-road races and competitions such as the Optic 2000 Rallye and various national championship events. Hugo had planned to enter the 2008 Dakar but due to its cancellation because of a potential terrorist threat, he raced a G 650 Xchallenge in the Central Europe Rallye instead.

This year the 37-year-old was determined to contest the South American Dakar on a G 450 X and as part of his preparations for the rally, he has been participating in many local enduro races with the Pays de Loire Motos dealer Enduro Team from the Nantes region. His rally bike has been prepared by Franck Helbert from specialists HFP in Laval and Hugo is delighted with the result.

ÔÇ£I was lucky enough to get my hands on a G 450 X very early,ÔÇØ he said. ÔÇ£The bike wasnÔÇÖt launched to the public until late in September but I was able to get one in July, which gave me plenty of time to get a feel for it, before sending it to specialists HFP for the rally preparation. While the bike was there, Pays de Loire Moto lent me another series production G 450 X, which I have been using for training. As part of the rally preparation, lots of work has been done on the fork and shocks and it rides really well. It also has a fantastic aluminium fuel tank that holds 17 litres, so in addition to the original eight-litre fuel tank under the seat ÔÇô and another tank at the back of the bike which holds an additional five litres ÔÇô IÔÇÖve now got a fuel capacity of 30 litres in total. My first impressions of the rally bike are extremely favourable; it looks superb and is a pleasure to ride. I canÔÇÖt wait for the rally to start!ÔÇØ

Although Hugo Payen thought that he would probably be the only rider to contest the 2009 Dakar on a modified G 450 X, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, there are three other riders who will be tackling the worldÔÇÖs hardest race on a BMW sport enduro. Andres Memi, the Chief Instructor at the new BMW Enduro Park in Argentina, will take part in the rally with a G 450 X, as will Luis Ferreira and Pedro Bianchi Prata from Portugal. We wish all the BMW riders the very best of luck and will be following their progress in January via the www.dakar.com website.



Bron: bmw-motorrad.com
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Stage 2
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Stage 3
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Sadly, Pascal Terry was found dead.

American Jonah Street is doing well in 2nd place overall!!!
 
Sadly. The Dakar is extreme. RIP Terry.

It's a rest day today.

This video covers the first week. Go, Jonah Street, the United States privateer in second Place!!!!!!!

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Street Out!

Jonah Street just announced live on Brit Euro sport that when he fell off today he re injured his wrist and is retiring from the race immediately.
 
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