Casteu : “I have the easy job”
First privateer winner of the Marathon category in the 2005 Dakar, with a 13th overall position, David Casteu was given a chance by the official KTM Gauloises team. Of course this rider from Nice seized it, raced a full season in 2005 and above all the 2006 Dakar where he fulfilled with honour his mission of support rider for Cyril Despres and Isidre Esteve: “I have to admit it is hard to do better: I stayed close to Cyril during the whole rally, I saved Isidre’s life when he had an accident, I finished 8th in the overall standing and I won a special”. This newcomer in the world of pros has kept demonstrating his performance during the whole season: “What I am the proudest of is my participation in eight races this year without withdrawing once. In the end, I finished second in the World Championship behind Marc Coma, but with no regrets. He is simply better than the rest”, says Casteu.
His excellent results this season naturally give ambitions to the rider with the greatest smile of the Dakar. His projects could actually be made easier to achieve thanks to his new and special status in the KTM Gauloises team this year. Neither a support rider for the major two candidates for victory, Cyril Despres and Isidre Esteve Pujol, nor a free rider, the rider from the French Riviera will be the team’s wild card, whose role will be to make sure a blue bike wins in Dakar. This position as an outsider perfectly fits the character of Casteu who is always relaxed but determined: “I have the easy job: nobody puts pressure on me because I am not considered a leader, and I have the possibility to make nice moves because I have proved that I am a reliable rider. For instance, if I get to lead the race, they will not ask me to wait for the others. If this is the case, I really would like to step on the podium. I know I am able to do it because the experience I gathered this year has been very useful”.