Toprak Razgatlıoğlu gets dirty at Canyon Clash challenge
2021 FIM World Superbike Champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu took to the dirt in an off-road challenge in Türkiye’s Kemaliye district – the Dark Canyon, alongside four-wheeled DTM racing series competitor Ayhancan Güven.
Renowned as one of the planet’s deepest canyons, Dark Canyon is an iconic course for motorcyclists and car enthusiasts from all over the world.
Listed in UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites in 2021, the Dark Canyon stands out as one of the world’s most formidable routes with 38 hand-made tunnels, notorious within the motorsports community for its daunting challenges.
The canyon is approximately 25 kilometres long, plunges over a kilometre deep, and has a base that tapers to 10-15 metres, with steep slopes that create a fascinating and challenging landscape.
Venturing off the beaten track for the first time, the duo challenged each other to push their limits in an adrenaline-fuelled pursuit.
The two track racers ventured out of their comfort zone and tried their hands at off-road racing for the first time ever.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu was competing on home ground, as the flagbearer who brought the World Superbike Championship glory to Türkiye in 2021, and shared his thoughts:
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
“Riding a bike in a canyon is very different from riding on the track. My bike was too heavy to pull a stoppie, and it was not an easy terrain to ride; however, it was an exciting experience for me.”