“I liked this Dakar more”

In 11 appearances, Stefan Svitko has seen it all: the glory when he captured second spot back in 2016 and quite a few painful setbacks forcing him to retire on four occasions. One of the most talented riders of the field, the Slovakian has struggled not being a real factory rider. His first Dakar in 2010 was indeed a very promising one: 13th spot and best rookie trophy. Then followed four Top 10 finishes for this enduro specialists and multiple European champion. His last appearance was yet again a solid one when he flew to 11th place for his first experience on Saudi soil. After a year with almost no racing due to the pandemic, Svitko prepared on home soil and returns with the ambition to always do better although he does feel that with age and raising a family, his pace is no longer the same.

“I like this Dakar more than the ones in South America. The race was fast and I took time to adapt to the new terrain. I was also really surprised by the weather with the temperatures going from 20 degrees during the day to close to zero at night. My overall position could have been better but I was mainly happy to reach the finish, having failed to do so the two previous years. I was also satisfied because in front of me there were only factory riders. I believe I went slower than before. I believe each rider has a sense of fear for the Dakar. I love riding bikes, but I prefer my family.”