Joan Roma, Isidre Esteve and Marc Coma will be looking for the victory on their motorbikes, while Jordi Juvanteny, José Luis Criado and Rafael Santiveri will try to repeat their success in the truck category
The Team Repsol Dakar has been officially presented today at the Jarama circuit in Madrid. It has been their starting point for the 26th edition of the Dakar, the start of which will be given in Clermont Ferrand on January 1, 2004.
The six riders and drivers who will be fighting for a place on the podium in Dakar were present at the event, which was presided by Mr. Ramón Blanco, Repsol YPF COO, who highlighted the importance of the race in his speech: “This is a definitive stake with the aim to win the Dakar. This participation is also important for Repsol YPF as a technological challenge and we wish to see our riders and drivers on the podium in Dakar on January 18.
In the motorbike category, the three riders are going to fight for the overall victory. Joan Roma, Isidre Esteve and Marc Coma have all their hopes set in this edition of the rally, which is going to be tougher than in previous years. As official KTM riders, they will be counting on an especially effective mechanical basis. This year, they will also have the help of an expert rider, Jordi Arcarons, who will be acting as sports manager of the team and will provide them with all his experience and knowledge about the race. Optimism has been the dominant feature after a very intense training: “Taking part in previous editions has given us the necessary maturity – declared Roma we are going to work as a team and were convinced that were going to fight for the victory. Weve been training very hard and we are more optimistic than ever. I personally feel well prepared after undergoing surgery to solve the problem with an injury that wouldnt let me ride at a hundred percent. Now Im back in shape and will be able to fight in full possession of my faculties”.
Isidre Esteve and Marc Coma share Romas optimism and are set to face a challenge that has a very special meaning for both of them: “Its the adventure of my life explained Esteve I wasnt lucky last year due to mechanical problems, but I think that after so many years crossing Africa, we are perfectly well prepared. We will be counting on the help of Jordi Arcarons and well be able to fight for the victory. No doubt about it”.
Marc Coma, is the youngest team member. Last year he gave a big surprise finishing the rally despite an injury, and this year he is set to give it all again: “Sacrifices are worth it stated Marc and weve been training hard to avoid any mistake. We are a good team and were going to prove it”.
The person who is going to make it possible is Jordi Arcarons, who has been working hard with the riders in order to improve their capacity to navigate in the desert. Jordi thinks that they are well prepared to win, and that the previous work is going to help them to face the desert stages with the highest guarantees.
Another big challenge for Repsol is the truck category. Last year, the MAN truck driven by Jordi Juvanteny, Ramón Torruella and José Luis Criado clinched the victory in the 6×6 class. Rafael Santiveri will join Juvanteny and Criado this year. All of them are experts in this race. They have made thousands of kilometres in Africa and confess that they feel attracted by the desert: “The race really makes you feel passion for it and it has a special attractiveness that makes you get back year after year. Its a question of passion for Africa and for the sport. Were very optimistic as well because the tough route is favourable for us. We dont have any other aim than fighting for the victory in our category”.
The 26th edition of the Paris-Dakar will start on January, 1 2004 in Clermont Ferrand, in the centre of France, and will have a special stage on January 3rd in Castellon (Spain) just before heading for Africa, where there will be stages held in Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The race will finish in Dakar, on January 18th after 11,090 kilometres.
