Despres takes third Dakar win

Added on Monday, January 18th, 2010 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

Frenchman Cyril Despres took his third Dakar rally victory at the weekend, as the legendary long distance enduro race came to an end, reports Alastair Walker.

Despres had a strong battle with Chilean Francisco Lopez and Marc Coma throughout the two week event, with Coma effectively ruled out of contention after picking up a 6 hour time penalty. Local boy Lopez took a highly creditable third place, with Norway’s Pal Ullevalseter, renowned for his stamina and consistency, finishing in 2nd place.

“It was a tough race, a beautiful Dakar.” commented KTM rider Despres afterwards, who shrugged off Coma’s protests at the unfairness of the time penalty. “Five people saw him break the rules and change the wheel, he must thing we are asses if we ignore that.”

Despres was asked how hard it is to win three times in the toughest off-road motorcycle race;

” Winning a Dakar is all about the team, keeping yourself fit, eating and sleeping well, plus trying not to pick up time penalties or make navigational errors. It isn’t really about fast riding, racing for stage wins. There’s much more to it. Now it is over I want to cry with exhaustion, and elation.”

Despres started his Dakar career in 2001, after risking every franc he had competing in the Tunisian Rally and finishing in the top twenty. He was hired by BMW as the third rider in their 2001 Dakar motorcycle team and was delighted to have a contract as a pro rider, having struggled to make a living as a bike mechanic and regular enduro racer in France. Despres finished 6th in his first Dakar, but came back to learn more and won in 2005 and 2007.

Just two British riders finished, with British ladies enduro champion Tamsin Jones home in 82th place and Scots lawyer Paul Carlyle the highest placed UK finisher in 72nd place. Irishman Phil Noone must be delighted to finish the race this year in 83rd place, after a blown engine put him out of the 2009 event.

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