The Dakar 2010 is limited to 450cc to revive its interest

The organizers of the rally-raid "Dakar" presented this morning the route of the 2010 edition which will take place, as in 2009, in Argentina and Chile, with a loop around Buenos Aires but with a route further north and more "Chilean".

The organizers of the rally-raid "Dakar" presented this morning the route of the 2010 edition which will take place, as in 2009, in Argentina and Chile, with a loop around Buenos Aires but with a route further north and more "Chilean".

But the major modification announced by David Castera, the sporting director of the event, is that the motorcycles must not exceed 450cc "from 2010" in order to "revive the interest" of a race crushed for many years by the manufacturer Austrian KTM.

Castera specified that the amateurs who would have invested in a 690cc motorcycle will be able to use their machine for another year but that it will have to be restrained … As for the "pros", they must imperatively ride in 450cc … The French pilot Cyril Despres, winner in 2005 and 2007, said he was "touched" by this decision, fearing that his team might simply decide to stop competing in the Dakar with an official team….

"I’m afraid of losing my job"

"I am touched and even affected (by this decision, Editor’s note). I expect to be unemployed in a few days, I’m afraid of losing my job," lamented the pilot who said he was "in favor of this decision "but regrets the delay:" we give 5 months (to KTM, Editor’s note) to change the motorcycles. From a technical point of view it’s difficult, especially as KTM has invested in new motorcycles (690cc) and we can’t ride with it ", regrets Despres.

From January 2 to 16, the competitors will compete in 14 stages evenly divided between the two countries (6 each) and two others which will allow them to cross the border. Unlike the last edition, the route will leave quickly towards the north of the continent and especially towards the Acatama desert in Chile for five stages in the "driest desert in the world". The route unveiled by Etienne Lavigne, the Dakar boss, will include around 5,000 km of specials against nearly 6,000 in 2009.

The stages of the Dakar 2010

• January 2: Buenos Aires-Cordoba (ARG)
• January 3: Cordoba (ARG) – La Rioja (ARG)
• January 4: La Rioja (ARG) – Fiambala (ARG)
• January 5: Fiambala (ARG) – Copiapo (CHI)
• January 6: Copiapo (CHI) – Antofagasta (CHI)
• January 7: Antofagasta (CHI) – Iquique (CHI)
• January 8: Iquique (CHI) – Antofagasta (CHI)
• January 9: Rest day (change possible)
• January 10: Antofagasta (CHI) – Copiapo (CHI)
• January 11: Copiapo (CHI) – La Serena (CHI)
• January 12: La Serena (CHI) – Santiago (CHI)
• January 13: Santiago (CHI) – San Juan (ARG)
• January 14: San Juan (ARG) – San Rafael (ARG)
• January 15: San Rafael (ARG) – Santa Rosa (ARG)
• January 16: Santa Rosa (ARG) – Buenos Aires (ARG)

In the meantime, far from the television cameras but largely as deserving, our two young young people PE and Beru crisscross Latin America on the handlebars of their … 125, as part of their exceptional adventure with a weekly report for the readers of Site !

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