Theres one month left for the start. What are your feelings for the 2005 Dakar?
I think that were facing a special year with two very important factors. One of them is that the race starts in Barcelona, and that is a great thing, not only for us, but also for Spanish fans who will be able to experience the race in a different way, during several days, not only watching us passing by from the trackside. In addition, on a personal level, Im really looking forward to the race. This is with no doubt the Dakar Im starting on the best conditions, well prepared in every aspect, highly motivated and ready to fight to the limit for the victory.
How have you prepared the race and what are the differences with regard to last year?
Theres a big difference with regard to the previous edition: this year Ive been able to compete a whole season. I always insisted in the fact that it is vital to race the Dakar with a lot of kilometres on your credit and now Im able to get to the big race after taking part in several races of the World Cup. The results have been satisfactory as well and therefore I think that Ive prepared the race perfectly well. This whole activity must be of use. In addition, the Repsol KTM team is going to use again the 660 single-cylinder Rally bike. Its the same bike we used last year, with those small improvements that are constantly included. We feel really comfortable with it, we know it perfectly well and it will allow us to give it all from the very start.
Your big aim will be fighting for the victory. Are you ready for it?
The approach will with no doubt be totally different. We were also looking for the victory in the previous years but I wasnt the leader of the team. Now I am and the chance has come in a fantastic moment. I feel capable and Ive seen in previous races that Im able to achieve whatever I set out to do. Ive got seven years of experience in Africa, and everything has already happened to me. There arent many things left to surprise me. Only the victory could be a surprise.
What would you highlight of this years route?
Two things. First the marathon stages with parc fermé. That means that after weve reached the finish of a very long stage well only be able to refuel and nothing else until the next day. Well have to be very careful to let the bike last much longer. Second, the navigation, it will be much more decisive, because the rally will be staged mainly in Mauritania and experience has shown us the difficulties of the desert in that country.
This has been a very intense season; whats your assessment?
Excellent, with no doubt, and not only for me, but also for the Repsol KTM team. I won two races of the Raid World Cup, in Morocco and Dubai, and I also won the Spanish Raid Cup, apart from fighting for the leading places with my team-mate Marc Coma in all the races weve taken part. We have to be very satisfied with our performances.
