Euromilhões Lisboa - Dakar 2007 : Dakar

moto

Cyril Despres (FRA): “A revenge on myself”

Cyril Despres has never been used to easiness. Before conquering his first title on the Dakar, he indeed went through all the different phases that a rising champion has to witness. Registered as a simple privateer wanting to convert his experience as a trial rider to deserts and African tracks, Cyril progressively showed the top teams what he was able to do during his first appearances in the rally. Once seated on winning machines as an assistance rider for Roma or for his own sake, he climbed on all steps of the podium before triumphing in the 2005 Dakar.

Used to having ‘’bad days’’ or big navigational upsets that can ruin the benefits of a rally previously mastered, Despres lived in 2006 an even bigger frustration in the hierarchy of Dakar problems. Immediately after the start of his battle with Marc Coma the Frenchman suffered a big crash and lost all hopes of victory during the stage heading to Zouerat. Diminished by a dislocated right shoulder, he allowed the Spaniard to build up a decent gap. His injury that was then followed by tendonitis never left him in peace even after his second spot in Dakar: “I didn’t know how long it would last but eventually after two months I was able to get back on my bike. The year however really hasn’t been easy for me. Indeed a few months later in Italy I broke my radius bone and the bad luck started all over again. It’s the first time in my career that I witness falls and injuries. All that leaves a bad taste of unfinished business in my mouth. I have a revenge to take on myself”, explains Despres.

In his quest for a personal balance he will this year be looking for a victory over himself, maybe be even more than a success in his battle with Marc Coma, who remains unbeaten in all their confrontations this season. But Despres will certainly not settle for second position: “I don’t want that anymore, I already have second spots in my collection. Concerning Marc, I know that he has improved and that he has a lot of self-confidence. I’m slowly rising to a very good level of form. I have just a few competitions behind me but I don’t think that I’ll need a lot of riding to be confident on the bike. Anyhow I certainly won’t give up
’’

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Giniel De Villiers (AFS): “I won’t be happy with second spot”

Slowly but surely, Giniel De Villiers continues silently progressing. His skills behind the steering wheel have made experts believe that he is the most talented driver of his generation and right they probably are. His experience in the Dakar is that of an impressive progression. During the time of his adventure with Nissan, he managed on each occasion to finish best driver of the Japanese brand while his team mates were struggling with electrical problems or mechanical upsets. During the last edition, he still remained a threat for Mitsubishi with two days to go before the finish in Dakar.
After four appearances, all conclusive (minimum 7th), De Villiers will be on the start line as a legitimate contender for final victory with the likes of the last two winners Peterhansel and Alphand. Especially with the evolution of the Race Touareg that seems to correspond with the objectives set by Volkswagen: “I believe that the car has gone one step further, it has improved in all the different compartments, especially on sand. The goal is really to beat Mitsubishi whoever the driver in the best position might be. But for sure I won’t be happy with second spot this year. I’ll eventually accept it but I won’t be happy ».
The challenge is big for Dirk Von Zitzewitz, co-driver of De Villiers for the first time in the Dakar. An outstanding biker in another life, he finished 5th of the Dakar in 1997. Since his switch to four wheels in 2002, the German has mainly teamed up with Mark Miller with whom he also claimed fifth spot in 2006. With De Villers, Dirk could have the opportunity to do a lot better: the first races of the new crew have been impressive with two successes in the Transiberico and Morocco rallies.

Gerard De Rooy: "It’s time to avenge ourselves"

A year after the disillusionment of his exclusion from the race due to non-compliance of his DAF truck with the rules, Gerard De Rooy is back at the rally with the same ambitions: a place on the podium and the wish to emulate his father Jan, winner in 1987. "We are aiming for the highest step on the podium. Everyone in the team is very positive. It’s time to avenge ourselves", proclaims a perfectly calm Gerard De Rooy several days before the grand start.

Arriving on the scene to accompany his father’s comeback in 2002, Gerard De Rooy now in his own right represents a chance of victory once again for DAF in the greatest of the rally-raids. At 26 years of age and already boasting a podium finish from 2004, the son of the legendary Jan De Rooy has become the linchpin of the blue trucks’ venture. The Director of his family’s haulage company, for an entire year he and his father have striven to make their DAF trucks compliant, with the hope of contending with their Russian adversary Kamaz. "The truck is completely new. We have only kept the cab and cylinder block from the previous version. We have carried out plenty of tests and think we can start the rally in confident mood".

The ultra-quick but still slightly irregular Gerard has learned much from his previous mistakes, especially when his truck left the road, an accident which probably cost him a place on the podium, two years ago during the fifth stage between Agadir and Smara. After this mishap, he had to be content with 6th place in the final rankings.
His absence from the 2006 edition, as mentioned above, has only made the Flying Dutchman hungrier to avenge himself for the 2007 edition of the Dakar. He hopes to halt the domination of Kamaz and its team leader Vladimir Chagin. "We have a real chance of competing. The truck is very quick on rocky ground. We’re perfectly happy as well that there will be a lot of sand in this edition. Our DAFs will also perform well in Mauritania".

The clear goal is therefore to climb pack onto the podium for the category, even if De Rooy junior believes that the competition will probably be stronger than in previous years. All that remains to know is which of the two De Rooy’s will finish in the best place. "My father and I haven’t set out any rules. It really will depend on the race and plenty of things could happen".
Whilst waiting to get his teeth stuck into the African tracks Gerard De Rooy is likely to experience a slight moment of tension when he goes to face the rally commissaries for scrutineering.

Ginda Petrus: "We have always wanted to do it"

For the Milda - Ginda Petrus couple, the Dakar is a love affair, a real one. The two Lithuanians met in 2001 on a ferry on their way to attending the start of the rally. For these two motor sports enthusiasts, it was love at first sight. Others would have simply settled down and watched their happiness grow in their home country, but not these two Lithuanians with strong personalities. Two years after this meeting on the high seas, they undertook the adventure of the Dakar as a couple, with Sharm el Sheikh as their goal. Furthermore, it was on their arrival in the Egyptian seaside resort that they decided to seal their union for better and for worse. This year, they will be taking starter’s orders again, heading toward the Senegalese capital. It represents the opportunity for them to take a break from the everyday constraints of managing their mineral water production company.

"For several years, our company has been eating up a substantial amount of our time, but deep down, we have always wanted to do it, especially since our last participation as a couple was crowned with success. Taking part in the Dakar, sleeping under the stars in the Mauritanian desert is one of the most beautiful experiences of my life", admits Ginda Petrus who had already completed the Dakar in 2002 without his wife. This year, the couple is back on the rally with a new car and an even more incisive vision of the course. "The route is very selective. The section in Mauritania looks to be the most delicate, so we are going to concentrate on our driving on the approach to the dunes," states Ginda Petrus. They only have one goal on their minds: to arrive together again in Dakar.

Dr Xavier Mir: "Exactly meeting their needs"

Xavier Mir came into the world of the Dakar by the back door. Doctor to Nani Roma, he started by accompanying his preferred patient who was racing at the time for the very top places in the motorbike rankings. In addition to the care provided to his protĂ©gĂ©, the "Doc" especially had plenty of ideas during this first voyage spent in an assistance vehicle. Sensitive to the destitution of the hospitals and medical facilities he visited on his journey, he soon dreamed up a way of bringing health care equipment with the help of the rally’s competitors.

Since 2004, the Dakar Solidario operation has grown in strength and now helps equip several hospitals in Mauritania and Senegal along the route of the Dakar, especially with heavy equipment: "The interesting thing about our initiative is that it is not so much the amount of medicines and equipment that we distribute which counts, but more the fact that they exactly meet the needs of these health centres, with whom we are in contact throughout the year", underlines Xavier Mir.

This year, the scheme deployed for the rally will be calling upon three big trucks, with the logistical support of the organisers, loaded with fifty-some pieces of medical apparatus (incubators, ultrasound devices, electronic surgical knives, dialysis machines) and around one thousand boxes of antibiotics, serums and disinfectants. The centres selected are the hospital in Atar, the Fraternity hospital in Chinguetti, the paediatric surgery hospital in Nouakchott, the national hospital in Nouakchott, the regional hospital in Nema, the Thierry Sabine hospital and the Louly Benteigne health centre (Senegal).