Cyril’s five Dakar trick

But a familiar name graced the top step of the finish podium in Santiago, in Chile, on January 20.

 

Frenchman Cyril Despres had his own fair share of problems from the start and was playing catch-up for long periods. 

 

He changed an engine and was hampered by gearbox woes during the first week and looked to be too far off the pace to make a push for his fifth victory.

 

However Lady Luck was shining on the Red Bull KTM rider again this year and when short-term leaders Joan Barreda Bort, Olivier Pain and David Casteu all hit trouble of their own, Despres was ready to pounce.

 

A fifth victory for Despres also means that Austrian bike manufacturer KTM has won every Dakar Rally since 2001 – a remarkable achievement. 

 

Despres has also gone down in the annals of history as a true Dakar great.

 

His victory in Chile meant he became the joint-second most successful Dakar rider of all time, after legendary Stephane Peterhansel – a six-time winner with Yamaha between 1991 and 1998 – who has gone on to take five wins in the car category.

 

Despres is now tied on five wins with Cyril Neveu, who achieved his successes with Yamaha and Honda between 1979 and 1987. 

 

Edi Orioli has four wins and Marc Coma has three.

 

"You prepare all year for this race and when you achieve your goal it is a perfect feeling,” explained Despres. 

 

"To win one Dakar is a great achievement and now I have won five. It is extra-special for me knowing that Ruben, my team-mate, was the closest to me at the end.

 

"It's only when you cross the line and see all the media and the people that you know that no-one can take this win away. I am so happy. 

 

"The day when it is easy to win the Dakar, it won't be interesting any more. It's long, tough, hot, cold and you rise early every day. It feels even better when you win a tricky race.”

 

Cyril's support rider Ruben Faria enjoyed a superb Dakar of his own and the Portuguese led for a time and then shadowed the Frenchman to the finish, to claim second. He finished 10-minutes and 43-seconds behind Despres.

 

The dream of winning the Dakar in his home country was one bridge too far for Francesco Lopez, but the Chilean rider reached the finish in third overall after a last-minute engine change following a gearbox problem.

 

FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX JANUARY 25

 

35th DAKAR RALLY Peru-Argentina-Chile

 

Final Positions: 1 Cyril Despres (F - KTM) 43-hrs 24-min 22-sec, 2 Ruben Faria (P - KTM) 43:35:05, 3 Francesco Lopez (CHL - KTM) 43:43:10, 4 Ivan Jakes (SVK - KTM) 43:48:16, 5 Juan Pedrero Garcia (E - KTM) 44:19:51, 6 Olivier Pain (F - Yamaha) 40:30:52, 7 Helder Rodrigues (P - Honda) 44:35:44, 8 Javier Pizzolito (ARG - Honda) 44:50:29, 9 Frans Verhoeven (NL - Yamaha) 44:50:57, 10 Paulo Goncalves 

(P - Husqvarna) 44:52:42,...

Select others: 11 Jakub 

Przygonski (PL - KTM) 44:58:21,... 16 Pal-Anders 

Ullesvalseter (N - KTM) 46:25:18, 17 Joan Barreda-Bort (E - Husqvarna) 46:29:04,... 31 Kurt Caselli (US - KTM) 49:28:02,... 40 Johnny Campbell (US - Honda) 51:36:02,... 59 Simon Pavey (AUS - Husqvarna) 54:21:51,...

British riders: 25 Stanley Watt (GB - KTM) 48:47:31,... 26 Tim Forman (GB - KTM) 48:48:12,... 46 Lyndon Poskitt (GB - KTM) 52:26:57,... 83 Craig Bounds (GB - KTM) 59:12:39,...