After two days of administrative and technical controls at the Tecnopolis Park, 161 motorcyclists and 45 quad bikers took the start in the 2015 Dakar. This year there are several absentees of note… Cyril Després has left the two-wheeler world for a new adventure on four wheels with Peugeot and Chaleco Lopez, who has been undergoing knee surgery, has also announced that he is moving over to cars.
The bets are therefore wide open as to who can beat Marc Coma this year. The Catalan, four times winner of the Dakar, has always seen Cyril Després as his main rival, but today, when asked what he thinks of the opposition, he is giving nothing away. On paper, Marc is unbeatable. He has the experience, the speed, the navigation and a cool head, not to mention his highly professional KTM team mates Jordi Viladoms, Sam Sunderland and Ruben Faria.
Honda too are keeping their cards close to their chest but they are certainly prepared for the year’s flagship event. Joan Barreda, Paulo Goncalves, Helder Rodrigues and Jeremias Israel will certainly be going all out and pushing Marc Coma hard in the hope that he might overreach himself, leaving them to gather up his laurels.
Nor should we forget Yamaha France with Olivier Pain, Frank Verhoeven and Michael Metge, Yamaha Spain with Juan Pedrero or Sherco with Alain Duclos and Fabien Planet, back after a 7-year break, and of course David Casteu (KTM).
In quad, the Patronelli brothers are sitting out the Dakar this year but last year’s winner Ignacio Casale (Yamaha) will be up against serious opposition in the form of Rafal Sonik (Yamaha) and Sergio Lefuente (Yamaha).
Tomorrow, the first Special is a long 175 km with a still longer link-up (663 km) to reach Villa Carlos Paz! Let the adventure begin!