Photo: KTM Racing
KTM is currently heading to Paraguay, for the start of the 38th edition of the Dakar Rally that is due to begin this January. The four riders have one mantra in their head - win the 16th consecutive title for the Austrian brand at all cost.
If you’re new to Dakar Rallying, the motorcycle category has been safe in KTM’s hands since 2001, with Italian Fabrizio Meoni winning for the first time. The team is now firmly on the top of every participant and all the four riders claiming to be fit and well prepared for the toughest race yet.
“I’m excited about being part of the Dakar this year,” 2016 winner Toby Price said. “It’s going to be a difficult one, ranging from the navigation to the high altitude. It’s definitely going to be a challenge but its also one I’m looking forward to, and to seeing how it pans out. It’s also exciting to be starting in Paraguay and going into Argentina and Bolivia. It’s going to be a long race and a long two weeks, but we’ll just get to the end of every day, hope for the best and go from there. But everything is looking good, the bike is good and the team is strong, so it’s exciting times ahead.”
His teammate, British rider Sam Sunderland, made his debut with the factory team in 2015 and is pretty confident for the upcoming race after finishing second in the 2017 FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship.
Next is Austrian Matthias Walkner, who will be on his third Dakar Rally, after he had to retire from the first half of the 2016 edition with a fractured leg. Completing the lineup is woman rider Laia Sanz, the 2017 Women’s Enduro World Champion, now at her sixth Dakar.
The 2017 Dakar Rally starts January 2nd and will take place in Paraguay. During this event, the riders will encounter dramatically temperature differences - close to freezing when exiting the Bolivian plateau and up to 50C in Argentina.
“I’m excited about being part of the Dakar this year,” 2016 winner Toby Price said. “It’s going to be a difficult one, ranging from the navigation to the high altitude. It’s definitely going to be a challenge but its also one I’m looking forward to, and to seeing how it pans out. It’s also exciting to be starting in Paraguay and going into Argentina and Bolivia. It’s going to be a long race and a long two weeks, but we’ll just get to the end of every day, hope for the best and go from there. But everything is looking good, the bike is good and the team is strong, so it’s exciting times ahead.”
His teammate, British rider Sam Sunderland, made his debut with the factory team in 2015 and is pretty confident for the upcoming race after finishing second in the 2017 FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship.
Next is Austrian Matthias Walkner, who will be on his third Dakar Rally, after he had to retire from the first half of the 2016 edition with a fractured leg. Completing the lineup is woman rider Laia Sanz, the 2017 Women’s Enduro World Champion, now at her sixth Dakar.
The 2017 Dakar Rally starts January 2nd and will take place in Paraguay. During this event, the riders will encounter dramatically temperature differences - close to freezing when exiting the Bolivian plateau and up to 50C in Argentina.
Google News