“Talent isn’t everything, you need discipline”
En resumen
- Not quite a factory rider and not exactly a privateer, Stefan Svitko is however one of the strongest riders of the Dakar field and he’s been showing that for the last 15 years.
- The Slovakian 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.
- This enduro specialist and multiple European champion before he fully committed to rally-raid has finished seven of his Dakar rallies in the Top 10 and eleven in the Top 15.
- Last January, the father of two little girls finished second of the non-factory riders in 10th position.
- Now 43, the man from Vysny Kubin in the northern part of Slovakia will again be counting on the support of his little Slovnaft Rally team. After competing in his national championship in motocross and taking part in the W2RC leg in Morocco (13th), he’ll again try to finish as close as possible of the top guns.
Ambición
S.S.: “Talent isn’t everything, you need discipline. The Dakar teaches you that pain and fatigue are part of the game. You don’t recover like you did at twenty. I have the speed, but the Dakar is won with your head. This last Dakar was one of the toughest in recent years. In the dunes, you make one small mistake and you lose ten minutes. I don’t take unnecessary risks anymore. Dakar is about consistency.
The bike is more stable, faster, and more reliable. Sand is not our terrain. I need to work on that. If we stay consistent, the result will come. The goal remains to aim for a Top 10, or even better if reliability is perfect.”
The bike is more stable, faster, and more reliable. Sand is not our terrain. I need to work on that. If we stay consistent, the result will come. The goal remains to aim for a Top 10, or even better if reliability is perfect.”
