If a few years ago the start of the race to Africa in 2004 caused Daker fever in this Catalunyan city, this was repeated this morning when the Repsol riders and drivers for the next edition were presented on the beach in Barceloneta.
Marc Coma, Jordi Viladoms and Gerard Farrés in the motorbike class, and Nani Roma, Stéphane Peterhansel, Luc Alphand and Hiroshi Masuoka, together with their co-drivers Lucas Cruz, Jean Paul Cottret, Gilles Picard and Pascal Maimon, in the car category, are the specialists chosen to carry the Repsol colours in this unique race.
Racing fans found a large jaima – desert tent used by nomads in North Africa – the service park for the Team Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart, the Team Repsol KTM motorbikes, and a circuit prepared for the occasion on the Moll de Marina this morning, an unbeatable setting to present the Repsol team members for the Lisbon Dakar 2008. This was a chance for fans to see in person the whole caravan that is needed to compete in this legendary race, from the stars and their machines, to the related support groups who will all experience an intense two weeks at the beginning of 2008. The 30th edition of this the toughest race in the world will start on 5th January and will finish on 20th January.
The act began in the large jaima, erected near the Hotel Arts, where the Repsol team members explained to the press their exact objectives in the race. Their mission, yet again, is none other than to get another historic one-two in the most exciting racing adventure in the world that takes the participants across the North African continent.
After that, on a stage on the beach, the Repsol KTM and Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart teams were officially presented to the fans, and the public later witnessed a spectacular exhibition given by Nani Roma at the wheel of his Mutsibishi Montero Evolution MPR13 and Marc Coma riding his KTM 690 Rally 2008. The Repsol driver showed off his skills on the circuit created by Repsol close on the beach alongside the stage. A little taster of what the riders will be doing day after day in one of the toughest races ever prepared by the organisers.
Marc Coma >> Audio
We are ready to tackle the Dakar, and try to win it again. I think that we are in great form and with a great chnace of achieving the objectives that we have set ourselves, without anything being able to condition what we can do. But one thing is going to play a big role, that is the route we have ahead of us, since this year is going to be especially tough, although we hope that this may even help us.
Jordi Viladoms >> Audio
For sure we are strong and dying to race. This year has been complicated since I had to recover from the injury I got last year and it has been difficult to get back to the level I was at last year. Apparently the race this year is going to be very tough, so this seems to indicate that being careful will be the best option. Physically I am ready to start but I have not been able to ride as much as I would have liked. However I think I can put in a good performance.
Gerard Farrés >> Audio
This year the Dakar will be very difficult, with many stages in Mauritania, that is to say a lot of sand. I think if we take the race calmly and we get to finish in Dakar it will be positive. The objective is therefore finish the race, learn a lot and help Marc and Jordi as much as I can, which is is the most important.
Stéphane Peterhansel >> Audio
I am still really motivated since the Dakar is a fantastic race for me, and even though this is going to be my 20th start, my tenth in a car, I am still very motivated and I am going to dedicate all my energy to try and win again. We do not know exactly what the stages will be like, but it will really tough, especially the days in Mauritania. However in the last four or five years that is precisely where I have got into the lead, a terrain where I always do well. So this year, although it will be tougher than normal, I hope, just like other years, it will be good for us. You never know, since the Dakar is very complicated. We have a good car, I have a great co-driver, but it is still a very very tough and complicated race.
Luc Alphand >> Audio
I think that the team`s experience, along with that of the riders, drivers and co-drivers, are what is really important for this Dakar, since the eight days in Mauritania will be very tough and it will be a very dense Dakar. It will be complicated and difficult right to the end, until we reach Saint Louis, the penultimate day. We expect everything to go well from the mechanical point of view, as we have been working a lot on the reliability and this is important. There will be very long stages and even the leading cars will arrive very late, so it will be hard on the amateurs. Every ten years there is an edition that seems to stand out from the rest. We have been working hard so that in spite of having lost a bit of performance owing to the new rules, we are prepared for the fight.
Hiroshi Masuoka >> Audio
The Montero is a very strong car, since we have been developing it for a long time, now 25 years. We know that this edition is going to be very tough since there are a lot of stages with dunes and a lot of sand. But this is where we do best, so we hope to get another victory. The team spirit is very strong, and we are all going to support each other so that we are the fastest and can win.
Nani Roma >> Audio
Day after day I am going faster, and I have made a lot of progress concerning pure speed, although the Dakar is very different from a Transiberian, it is a race with another pace. Perhaps I need to improve a bit on sand and in dunes. I am a little disappointed with what happened in Dubai, since it is a race that would have been good to train in the sand, which will be the most complicated conditions we will find in this Dakar with so many stages in Mauritania. It is true that the race will be decided there, but we cannot forget about the fast stages at the beginning, in Morocco, so that those that get off well do not get too far away from us. I am very motivated, I have a good car, and with Lucas we are progressing very well, so I think we will have a good Dakar.
