N° 505 - TEAM DE ROOY
- DE ROOY
- Gerard
- NLD
- 21/06/1980
- 191 cm
- 88 kg
|
- COLSOUL
- Tom
- BEL
- 20/04/1976
- 183 cm
- 90 kg
|
 - VAN MELIS
- Marcel
- NLD
- 08/02/1980
- 184 cm
- 70 kg
|
| MODEL |
MAKE |
| X2223 |
GINAF |
 |
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
|
| Scratch |
2
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
| Stage |
2
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
| Overall |
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
Gerard De Rooy: «Trucks are a part of our lives »
“When Gerard De Rooy asked me if I wanted to do the rally with him, I said you’re taking a risk; I have never driven on the Dakar. And he answered, you’ll also be taking a risk, I have never done the Dakar without my father!” Co-driver Tom Colsoul relates his first exchanges with Gerard De Rooy, before the 2003 Dakar, the first they did side by side. During this era, Gerard De Rooy had only participated once in the rally, with his father, in 2002. A first for him and a return to the source for his father, after 14 years of being away from the Dakar that in 1987 saw him win in the truck category. Gerard wasn’t yet 10 years old.
Ever since 2003, the son Gerard has forged his own way in his own truck. A natural conclusion for he who is part of a three generation family owned transportation business in Holland. “We work with trucks; they are a part of our lives”, explains Gerard.
In Argentina, the navigator of the trio, Tom Colsoul is expecting «narrow and brittle tracks, more suited for cars. On the other hand, we can’t wait for the dunes in Chile”. The trio is leaving nothing to chance. They even went to Andorra to find similar altitude conditions they will face in the Andes Cordillera.
The new addition to the youngest team in the event (average age of 29): the first appearance of Marcel Van Melis, a former member of a rival team, who will replace Arno Slaats as the mechanic in the team. “We were adversaries five years ago and now we joke together”, says Tom Colsoul. “He is young, a fantastic mechanic and I have total confidence in him”, adds Gerard De Rooy. Marcel says that Gerard, with his five Dakars of experience, “teases constantly”, but also distils “invaluable advice”. And while he is a novice, Marcel van Melis isn’t mincing his words. He says without beating around the bush that”even though there are a dozen teams that could win”; he is looking to walk off with “first place”.
Dakar start photos on line: www.maindruphoto.com