Ahead of the 2012 Dakar ready that kicks off next Sunday, multi-rally champion Marc Coma did a little promo work for title sponsor MRV for their campaign Marc Coma, Our Messenger.

MRV is a courier service and they had the Spanish rider take to the streets of Barcelona with his KTM 450 and deliver packages to clients.

While riding the streets of the traffic filled streets of the Catalan capital isn’t easy, nothing can compare to the gruelling 9000 km 14-day Dakar rally that takes riders across Argentina, over the spectacular Andes into Chile to take on the Atacama Desert and then head for the final stages in Peru.

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The Red Bull X-Fighters event in Madrid, Spain saw another special trick, backflipping Marc Coma’s winning KTM 450 rally bike.

The honours of doing the trick went to FMX rider Gilles De Jong of Belgium who after seeing Coma freestyling on the dunes of Abu Dhabi, practiced the stunt on the 140kg bike for two months before showing it to an enthusiastic Spanish audience and the world.

“I have to take my hat off to Gilles. Never in my wildest dreams would I have tried that. I’m glad my bike is still in good shape!” said an impressed Coma who was on hand.

While De Jong, who is the only rider in the world that has gained FIM World Championship points in 4 motorcycle disciplines. Motocross, Supercross, Supermoto and Freestyle said, “You can’t really compare the handling with an FMX bike. You really need to work it hard. Marc was a lot of help during the preparations. He showed me in Dubai in April that it was possible to do tricks with a rally bike. I leaned out the window pretty far by betting that I could do a backflip on his bike!”

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After adding a fifth win in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge to his already massive array of winning trophies, which include the Dakar Rally 3 times, the Rallye des Pharaons-Egypt, the Rally ORPI of Morocco, the Rally of las Pampas in Argentina, Marc Coma took to the Abu Dhabi desert for some fun and games with free-styler and X-Games winner Ronnie Renner.

Renner who also holds world record for a step-up on a motorcycle and one for the highest jump (Air) in a quarterpipe, was on hand to watch Coma jump his rally prepared KTM 450, a distance of 15-meters and 6-meters high and afterwards the two even switched bikes.

“Normally, for us the important thing is keeping the bike in contact with the ground. The speed is what matters. That’s why it’s not usual for Rally riders to be jumping these heights and distances. Compared to a Freestyle bike, my bike weighs about a dozen kilos more than this. The tank alone can hold 40 liters,” said Coma.

A suitable impressed Renner said, “That was really an eye-opener! I was able to take a spin on Marc’s bike and I’ve got to admit I must have looked pretty awful. The speed is incredible and the handling compared to a Freestyle bike is extremely hard. Taking this jump on a KTM Rally bike is phenomenal.”

Source | motoblog.it

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Here’s a preview look at the new KTM 450 Rally that will race at the 2011 Dakar rally with a line-up of impressive riders. While KTM got its nose a little out of joint over the new rules for the Dakar rally, it got to it building a new bike and has on-board for this year riders Cyril Despres, Marc Coma, Juan Pedero and Ruben Faria.

While we imagine KTM might dominate the 2011 Dakar all the same, if not because of its new technical development then because of its long experience, we can expect a more balanced rally that might challenge the KTM status quo in this sector. Aprilia put in a good performance last year and is back again this year with its RXV twin-cylinder, and there is some mixed competition turning up that might put a spanner in the KTM decade-long dominance.

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Over the shortened route for the Stage 9 of Dakar 2010, Marc Coma won the stage with his KTM. The stage was about 170 km long due to severe fog in some areas, and it also marks the last stage in the Acatama desert.

Francisco Lopez‘ new Aprilia RXV 4.5 continues to do well at third overall and coming in third for this stage after Cyril Despres with his KTM. The brand also took out fourth spot, before Yamaha came in fifth with rider David Fretigné. Despres is in first place overall before Stage 10 starts.

Stage Nine:
1° #1 Marc Coma (SPA) KTM;
2° #2 Cyril Despres (FRA) KTM;
3° #9 Francisco Lopez (CHI) Aprilia;
4° #4 Pal Anders Ullevalseter (NOR) KTM;
5° #12 David Fretigné (FRA) Yamaha;

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The Aprilia RXV 4.5 has just won its first 2010 Dakar stage, with rider Francisco Lopez on board. The whacky but cool bike is a new entry for Aprilia, with the change to 450 cc models making it competitive this year. It has some nifty features in addition to the Dakar-needed help like the additional fuel tank and navigation equipment.

Lopez won the fifth stage in Aprilia’s first ever Dakar victory, crossing the Acatama desert in five hours and 52 minutes. Marc Coma experienced problems with the rear wheel of his bike, meaning he fell to 19th place. After the jump is a video with some great footage of the fifth stage, and the Aprilia win, as well as the placings for this stage. The sixth stage sees the riders cross the Andes, completing 670 km.

Continue reading: Aprilia RXV 4.5 first Dakar victory

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The first round of Dakar 2010 has concluded with a surprising first place to David Casteu with his Sherco, after 652 km of racing. Second place went to Cyril Despres and third place to favourite Marc Coma, both riding KTM bikes. Closing the top six were Jordi Viladoms (KTM), Francisco Lopez, with his Aprilia RXV 4.5, and David Fretigne on a Yamaha.

One participant in the legendary race is veteran Franco Picco, riding a Yamaha WR450F, marking 25 years from his first Dakar rally. The 54-year-old first appeared back in 1985 with a Yamaha TT600, winning overall third place.

Picco’s start has been marked with a sinister gesture though, when he found his bike sabotaged with someone having poured sugar in the engine. Luckily, it hasn’t created any permanent damage and he has been able to continue.

Continue reading: Sugar in your engine: Dakar goes ahead for Franco Picco and Yamaha WR450F

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This has to be the most historical way to launch the Red Bull Don Quixote enduro race that takes place in Herencia, Spain in the heart of La Mancha, on November 29, 2009.

As many as 1,000 riders (pros and amateurs) will compete in this race which will also see Spain’s multiple world championship-winning enduro star Iván Cervantes, Marc Coma, winner of this year’s Dakar (Argentina-Chili) Rally and the recent Morocco Rally, and 2004 Dakar Rally winner Nani Roma also in the competition.

The riders will tackle the tough enduro 50km course in the land made famous in Miguel de Cervantes 17th century novel, The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha.

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Three Repsol riders, Dani Pedrosa, Hector Barbera and and off road racer and Dakar winner Marc Coma took advantage of a long break to try their talents in mountain climbing by taking part in the Desafío Extremo - Extreme Challenge offered by Jesús Calleja to climb Mont Blanc (4.810 mt), the highest mountain in The Alps.

Since none of the riders have almost any experience in mountaineering, they are being closely supervised and coached. Last Wednesday, Coma and Barbera and the rest of the team went to the Aigüille du Midi at 3.842 mt. where they spent the day getting acclimatised and on Thursday to Mer de Glace glacier, to learn how to use crampons, ice axes and screws and the twin rope system.

As a cold front coming down from the Artic willing be hitting the area on Tuesday, the team will to try to make the final ascent today.

Source | motograndprix

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KTM has apparently listed some riders in next year’s Dakar race, despite previous reports that KTM had quit Dakar. The decision has come after a re-scheduling of the 450cc limit. The Dakar site reports:

Further to the numerous discussions that have taken place with the different actors of the motorcycles’ competition… the goal of a maximum cubic capacity of 450 cc is maintained. Nevertheless, so that the competitors can have more time, a new schedule has been set up.

For the Dakar 2010, the ASO Elite pilots must ride with a restrictor reducing the power of their bike, if its cubic capacity is over 450 cc. Or they may use a bike of a cubic capacity under or equal to 450 cc. The other pilots are free to choose their bike with no restriction.

Continue reading: KTM returns to Dakar after 450cc restriction postponed

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Madrid’s efforts to host the 2016 Olympic Games face an important test this week, and the members of the Repsol teams have shown their whole-hearted support for the attempt. Coinciding with the presence of the IOC’s evaluation committee in the capital of Spain, Repsol has stated its clear support for the Olympic Games to be held in Madrid in 2016.

Moreover, the riders and drivers that are sponsored by the Spanish oil giant, and who have taken part in several different competitions over the last few days, also wanted to put their weight behind the city’s bid - they all appeared in their races with messages of support for the Spanish capital. Repsol’s relationship with the Olympic Games has existed since 1988 when the Asociación de Deportes Olímpicos (ADO) began its work, and at the moment the Spanish oil company is one of its sponsor members. Repsol’s involvement with sport in Spain has been progressing over the last few years, and it has become a preferential sponsor for the city of Madrid 2016.

Therefore Repsol did not want to miss out on a chance of helping the city in this very important week, backing the bid for the four year festival of sports, with thousands of sportsmen and women from all over the world taking part, to be held in Spain for the second time in its history.

Continue reading: Dani Pedrosa and Repsol riders support Madrid for 2016 Olympics

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Heavy rain altered stage 13 which ran over 220km instead of 324km, and was the sixth stage to be amended in the 2009 race which is making its debut in South America.

France’s Cyril Despres, riding a KTM, on Friday won the 13th and penultimate stage of the Dakar Rally, his fifth stage win of the rally, Despres took the win with a time of 2h 33m 35s finishing 1m 45s ahead of Coma while extending his slender advantage over Yamaha mounted David Fretigne in third.

David Fretigne, on a Yamaha, was third on Friday, (2:37), and third overall at 1hr 34min 47sec off the pace.

Francisco Lopez’s was forced to withdraw due to a fall that heavily damaged his bike, but did not suffer any injuries during the crash.

Continue reading: Dakar 2009 Argentina- Chile Stage 13

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