Toby Price Dakar Challenge all systems go
KTM Off-Road Racing Team rider Toby Price is about to embark on his first race of the new year and possibly the toughest racing challenge of his career, as the world’s biggest off-road race, the famous Dakar Rally kicks off in Buenos Aires on January 4.
The 27-year-old from Maitland in New South Wales drew the attention of the KTM factory and earned the ride on the back of a glittering 2014 season which netted him Finke, Hattah, AORC, and Desert Tri-Series crowns in Australia, as well as second outright in this year’s ISDE and a top-10 finish in his first ever international FIM rally, The Morocco Rally.
For more than 30 years the Dakar Rally has been the toughest off-road racing challenge on the planet, and this year’s 14 day, 9000+ kilometre epic traversing Argentina, Chile and Bolivia will be as stern a test as any.
Just as much a test of endurance as raw speed, the event pushes riders to the limit, with the longest day in the saddle being Day 12’s 1024 kilometres of transport and competitive section known as Special Stage, while Day 8 will contain an enormous 781 km of Special Stage.
KTM Australia has a rich history of contributing riders to the event, supporting men such as Andy Haydon, David Schwarz, the late Andy Caldecott and Ben Grabham, who have been stage winners or podium finishers and created a high level of interest for the event in Australia.
Defending Dakar champion, KTM-mounted World Rally Champion Marc Coma from Spain will be shooting for his fifth Dakar win when the event kicks off on Sunday.
Ben Grabham, KTM Off-Road Racing Team Manager : “Toby went to Morocco and got a bit of a taste for it and obviously did awesome there for his very first rally. With everything he’s done since coming off his big injury he’s in a very good place at the moment, and I think it’s pretty cool that he gets the chance to go over there and see what Dakar is all about.I’ve been there and done Dakar – and it’s different to the way the TV shows it. The riding is not that tough, it’s just the hours. It’s long, continuous, mentally draining hours with a lot of freeway riding, designed to just basically wear you out and mentally bugger you. It takes a few years to get your head around what you’ve got to do and when, which is why there are quite a few very, very fast guys that win stages, but they don’t seem to get the overall result. You just look at the guys that have the experience like Coma and Despres and they are there every day.
“It’s going to be a big learning experience for Toby, but the good thing is that there is no pressure on him. It won’t surprise me one bit if I wake up and find he’s won a stage along the way, but to do it every day is something different. I’ve known for a while now that he’s been going, so I’ve just told him lots of stories that might help; some great, some that scare the hell out of you. The one thing I kept drilling into his head was just be careful!”
Toby Price: “Dakar to me is the biggest race in the world. You cross three countries and do around 10,000km so it’s a tough and challenging race. Just to get a chance to race this event is a huge achievement in itself, and I’m just blown away with the opportunity that KTM have given me to compete in this event. Speechless really.
“My bike will be the same one that I competed on in Morocco. It’s the KTM 450 Rally bike and it’s really nice to ride, easy to work on and handles the long and rough conditions well. At this stage I’m not sure what my role is, I’m sure I’ll be helping the factory guys if something goes wrong for them but mainly I’m there just to learn and see how the event runs.
“For me I’m going to be happy to finish. I want to be at the finish line so I can learn everything I can and know what my body will feel like at the end of the event. If I can get one top-10 finish and finish in the top 30 overall I’ll be very happy. I can’t expect too much on my first Dakar race.”
Dakar 2015 – Starts Sunday Jan. 4 – Rest Day Saturday Jan 10 – finishes Saturday Jan 17
Stages
- 4.1 – Stage 1: Buenos Aires to Villa Carlos Paz – 663 km liaison, 175 km special (838 km)
- 5.1 – Stage 2: Villa Carlos Paz to San Juan – 107 km liaison, 518 km special (625 km)
- 6.1 – Stage 3: San Juan to Chilecito – 437 km liaison, 220 km special (657 km)
- 7.1 – Stage 4: Chilecito to Copiapó – 594 km liaison, 315 km special (909 km)
- 8.1 – Stage 5: Copiapó to Antofagasta – 235 km liaison, 458 km special (697 km)
- 9.1 – Stage 6: Antofagasta to Iquique – 369 km liaison, 319 km special (688 km)
REST DAY IQUIQUE (January 10)
- 11.1 – Stage 7: Iquique to Uyuni – 395 km liaison, 321 km special (717 km)
- 12.1 – Stage 8: Uyuni to Iquique – 24 liaison, 781 km special (805 km)
- 13.1 – Stage 9: Iquique to Calama – 88 km liaison, 451 km special (539 km)
- 14.1 – Stage 10: Calama Marathon Stage – 520 km liaison, 371 km special (891 km)
- 15.1 – Stage 11: Marathon Stage to Termas Rio Honda – 161 km liaison, 351 km special (512 km)
- 16.1 – Stage 12: Termas Rio Honda to Rosario – 725 km liaison, 298 km special (1024 km)
- 17.1 – Stage 13: Rosario to Buenos Aires 219 km liaison, 174 km special (393 km)
- Total liaison distance: 4,543 km; total timed distance: 4,752 km
- Total distance 9,294 km
Dakar 2015 – the numbers
- Dates for start and finish of the 2014 Dakar Rally: January 4-17
- Official ceremonial start in Buenos Aires on January 3
- Rest Day: January 10
- Total route: 9,295 km (5,775.6 miles)
- Total timed specials: 4,752 km (2,952.8 miles)
- Longest distance in a single day: 1024 km – 636.3 miles (Stage 12)
- Longest timed special: 781 km – 485.3 miles (Stage 8)
- Shortest distance in a single day: 393 km – 244.2 miles (Stage 13)
- Average rainfall in the Atacama Desert (Chile): 0 mm
- Total number of competitors (in motorcycle class): 168
Dakar 2015 Motorcycle Entry List
- 1 COMA MARC (ESP) KTM
- 2 BARREDA BORT JOAN (ESP) HONDA
- 3 PAIN OLIVIER (FRA) YAMAHA
- 4 VILADOMS JORDI (ESP) KTM
- 5 RODRIGUES HELDER (PRT) HONDA
- 6 SUNDERLAND SAM (GBR) KTM
- 7 GONCALVES PAULO (PRT) HONDA
- 8 PRZYGONSKI JAKUB (POL) KTM
- 9 CASTEU DAVID (FRA) KTM
- 10 PEDRERO GARCIA JUAN (ESP) YAMAHA
- 11 FARIA RUBEN (PRT) KTM
- 12 ISRAEL ESQUERRE JEREMIAS (CHL) HONDA
- 14 DUCLOS ALAIN (FRA) SHERCO TVS
- 15 VERHOEVEN FRANS (NLD) YAMAHA
- 16 GOUET DANIEL (CHL) HONDA
- 17 METGE MICHAEL (FRA) YAMAHA
- 18 SVITKO STEFAN (SVK) KTM
- 19 BOTTURI ALESSANDRO (ITA) YAMAHA
- 20 VAN NIEKERK RIAAN (ZAF) KTM
- 21 JAKES IVAN (SVK) KTM
- 22 PIZZOLITO JAVIER (ARG) HONDA
- 23 FARRES GUELL GERARD (ESP) GASGAS
- 24 DE AZEVEDO JEAN (BRA) HONDA
- 25 PLANET FABIEN (FRA) SHERCO TVS
- 26 PRICE TOBY (AUS) KTM
- 27 WALKNER MATTHIAS (AUT) KTM
- 28 SALVATIERRA JUAN CARLOS (BOL) KTM
- 29 SANZ PLA-GIRIBERT LAIA (ESP) HONDA
- 30 GUASCH MARC (ESP) YAMAHA
- 31 QUINTANILLA PABLO (CHL) KTM
- 32 CECI PAOLO (ITA) KTM
- 33 RODRIGUEZ CLAUDIO (CHL) KTM
- 34 PABISKA DAVID (CZE) KTM
- 35 STANOVNIK MIRAN (SVN) KTM
- 36 PIATEK JAKUB (POL) KTM
- 37 VOGELS HANS (NLD) KTM
- 38 BERGLUND THOMAS (SWE) KTM
- 39 VAN PELT ROBERT (NLD) YAMAHA
- 40 PATRAO MARIO (PRT) SUZUKI
- 42 RODRIGUEZ PABLO (ARG) HONDA
- 44 DE SOULTRAIT XAVIER (FRA) YAMAHA
- 45 DA COSTA BRUNO (FRA) YAMAHA
- 46 GOMEZ MAURICIO JAVIER (ARG) YAMAHA
- 47 OLIVERAS CARRERAS DANIEL (ESP) GASGAS
- 48 RIOS FELIPE (PER) KTM
- 49 GYENES EMANUEL (ROU) KTM
- 50 BUTUZA MARCEL (ROU) KTM
- 51 MEERU MART (EST) HONDA
- 52 DEMELCHORI DIEGO (ARG) KAWASAKI
- 53 PISANO MICHAEL (FRA) KTM
- 54 ARREDONDO FRANCISCO (GTM) KTM
- 55 HEINRICH EDUARDO (PER) SUZUKI
- 56 MENARD JEAN-CHRISTOPHE (FRA) KTM
- 57 LAZARD LAURENT (URY) KTM
- 58 PUERTAS MIGUEL (ESP) KTM
- 59 CHUNCHUNGUPPE SHIVASHANKAR SANTOSH (IND) KTM
- 60 CABRERA PATRICIO (CHL) KAWASAKI
- 61 ONTIVEROS ALBERTO SANTIAGO (ARG) BETA
- 62 SOUVIGNET ROMAIN (FRA) KTM
- 63 CARILLON PATRICE (FRA) KTM
- 64 NIJEN TWILHAAR JAN BASTIAAN (NLD) KTM
- 65 VAN DEN GOORBERGH JURGEN (NLD) KTM
- 66 SAGHMEISTER GABOR (SRB) KTM
- 67 DESI JANOS (HUN) KTM
- 68 VESELY JAN (CZE) KTM
- 69 PAYEN HUGO (FRA) YAMAHA
- 70 STASIACZEK PAWEL (POL) KTM
- 71 VAYSSADE FLORENT (FRA) SHERCO
- 72 CAVELIUS PHILIPPE (FRA) KTM
- 73 ERRAZURIZ FRANCISCO (CHL) HUQSVARNA
- 74 FERNANDEZ GERMAN (URY) KAWASAKI
- 75 SULLIVAN-PAVEY LLEWELLYN (AUS) KTM
- 76 PAVEY SIMON (AUS) KTM
- 77 GUIRAL DEMIAN (ARG) HONDA
- 78 PASCUAL PABLO OSCAR (ARG) KTM
- 79 ARANA COBEAGA TXOMIN (ESP) YAMAHA
- 80 SARMIENTO CERON JUAN ESTEBAN (COL) YAMAHA
- 81 FUENTES FABRICIO (BOL) KTM
- 82 HERNIK MICHAL (POL) KTM
- 83 DAMDINKHORLOO BOLDBAATAR (MNG) KTM
- 84 MARTENS SJAAK (NLD) KTM
- 85 KAZMIERSKI MARIANO (PER) KTM
- 86 GRACIDA GARZA CARLOS (MEX) KTM
- 87 REINIKE MARCO (CHL) KTM
- 88 VERHOESTRAETE FRANCK (COG) SHERCO
- 89 THEURIOT HERVE (FRA) KTM
- 90 GUZMAN ENRIQUE (CHL) KTM
- 91 HEILENKOTTER AXEL (CHL) HUQSVARNA
- 92 TORO JUAN SEBASTIAN (COL) KAWASAKI
- 93 MILLET FREDERIC (FRA) KTM
- 94 DE GROOT RICHARD (NLD) HONDA
- 95 VELLUTINO CARLO (PER) KTM
- 96 ROMERO FONT ROSA (ESP) KTM
- 97 GIMENO GARCÍA ANTONIO (ESP) KTM
- 98 GULDMAN GONZALEZ CRISTOBAL ANDRES (CHL) KAWASAKI
- 99 CHERPIN PIERRE (FRA) KTM
- 100 CROQUELOIS ERIC (FRA) KTM
- 101 BOUWKNEGT JAN ROELF (NZL) KTM
- 102 URQUIA SEBASTIAN ALBERTO (ARG) YAMAHA
- 103 REEVE DAVID GREGORY (ZMB) KTM
- 104 CORK CHRISTOPHER (GBR) HUSQVARNA
- 105 CATANESE FRANCESCO (ITA) YAMAHA
- 106 SEMINARA CARLO (ITA) KTM
- 107 TOIA DIOCLEZIANO (ITA) KTM
- 108 MONIER CHARLES (FRA) KTM
- 109 LACUNZA JORGE (ARG) KTM
- 110 MOULIN LAURENT (FRA) YAMAHA
- 111 CUYPERS CHARLES (FRA) KTM
- 112 ECHEVESTE KEVIN (ARG) HONDA
- 113 BRIOSCHI MARCO (ITA) KTM
- 114 BRIOSCHI ALBERTO (ITA) KTM
- 115 LECONTE EDOUARD (FRA) YAMAHA
- 116 FOURNY DIDIER (BEL) YAMAHA
- 117 CHINBATAAR ANAR (MNG) KTM
- 118 AMESPIL LEON (ARG) YAMAHA
- 119 GERA TONY (USA) KTM
- 120 BASSI GUSTAVO (ARG) YAMAHA
- 121 SENNVANBASEL HUMPHREY (NLD) KTM
- 123 DELAUNAY ALAIN (FRA) HONDA
- 124 REYNAUD YVAN (FRA) HONDA
- 125 HINTENAUS ALBERT (ZAF) KTM
- 126 VAN HEERTUM MELCHIOR (NLD) KTM
- 127 FERNANDEZ CARLOS (ESP) KTM
- 128 FERNANDEZ MENDEZ DOMINGO (ESP) KTM
- 129 VAN GERVEN JAN (NLD) KTM
- 131 BEKTAS SELCUK (TUR) KTM
- 132 VAN HEERTUM CASPAR (NLD) KTM
- 133 DOMENACH THIERRY (FRA) KTM
- 134 JACOBSEN CLAYTON (AUS) KTM
- 135 VAN DAELE JEROEN (NLD) HONDA
- 136 PENALVA DIEGO MARTIN (ARG) YAMAHA
- 137 ZACCHETTI CESARE (ITA) KTM
- 138 SCHELLEKENS CASPAR (NLD) KTM
- 139 VAN BERGEIJK HENNO (NLD) HUSABERG
- 140 GOTTVALD ZDENĚK (CZE) HUSQVARNA
- 141 KLOMP ERIK (NLD) HONDA
- 143 BOSMAN WESSEL (ZAF) KTM
- 144 UDRY DAMIEN (CHE) KTM
- 145 GARCIA MANUEL (ESP) YAMAHA
- 146 AYESA MAURO (ARG) BETA
- 147 BERDYSZ MACIEJ (POL) HONDA
- 148 BERGLUND MIKAEL (SWE) KTM
- 149 BERGLUND ANDERS (SWE) HUSABERG
- 150 CASUCCIO MATTEO (ITA) GASGAS
- 151 ENGEL MILAN (CZE) KTM
- 152 GAJDOSECH ROBERTO (ARG) YAMAHA
- 153 PETRONE SERGIO MIGUEL (ARG) YAMAHA
- 154 PEDROLA MARC (ESP) YAMAHA
- 155 SUAREZ ZAPATA JUAN (ARG) KAWASAKI
- 156 SENKALAYCI SAKIR (TUR) KTM
- 157 SABBATUCCI PAOLO (ITA) YAMAHA
- 158 MARTENS GUILLAUME (NLD) KTM
- 159 HAGENBLAD CARL (SWE) KTM
- 160 KLYMCIW ONDREJ (CZE) KTM
- 161 LOPEZ JOVE ESTEBAN ARIEL (ARG) KAWASAKI
- 162 MARTINELLI GUIDO (ARG) KAWASAKI
- 163 MOLANDER RALF (FIN) KTM
- 164 NARINO ANTONIO (USA) HUSQVARNA
- 165 OZDEMIR SERKAN (TUR) KTM
- 166 OZKAPLAN KORAY (TUR) KTM
- 167 RIEZEBOS JASPER (NLD) KTM
- 168 MORENO KRISTIANSEN MATEO (COL) KTM
