“Giving up is not in my blood”
En resumen
- His passion for the Dakar started as soon as his dad bought him a 125cc dirt bike to reward him for his good grades at school.
- A fine enduro specialist after starting as a BMX and MTB downhiller, he struggled on his first appearance back in 2014 when he was forced to quit early. At the time he had a team supporting him on the rally. That would actually be the first and only time.
- He returned to the event in 2016 on his KTM 450 and accomplished the mission he had set: to finish the Dakar. But what a struggle it was for the rider from Maribor who had registered in what was then called the malle-moto class with no assistance.
- Since then, he has suffered all kinds of upsets: broken bones and even a collision with Stephane Peterhansel’s Peugeot, in the blinding dust of Argentina.
- Part of the Original by Motul family, he is often the guy the rookies turn to for advice or just a pleasant chat. His entire life has turned around riding bikes and promoting his passion on social media.
- After five consecutive finishes, Marcic sadly had to pull out of the rally on the 2024 edition but proudly hit back a year later despite another painful rally (88th overall).
- He returns in 2026 for his 12th Dakar with a new bike, a Kove 450 EX that he was able to test out during the Qatar Baja, and still among the anonymous heroes of the Original By Motul class.
Ambición
S.M.: “The Dakar is a real challenge for me. A lifelong project and dreamed wish. The Dakar was a dream for so many years, ever since I was 11 watching Miran Stanovnik on TV. It’s since then become a lifestyle. The Original by Motul class is for me the real race. It’s what it was like 40 years ago when there was no help and no mechanics. Now I’m used to it. I have my own system.
It was tough to make it to the end of the last Dakar after a brutal crash on stage 2, but it was so much worth it. Giving up is not in my blood. I was happy to be back on the podium as a finisher.
It’ll now be my 12th start already! I never choose my number, I always let the organization give it to me. I take it as destiny that I have number 90. Let’s see if this one will bring me some luck.
The last two years I had pretty high numbers after some tough editions, but now it dropped more than 60 places compared to 5 years ago. It’s just a number, but it can change a bit how the prologue goes.
I’m really impressed with the new Kove bike. The top speed is higher than the KTM replica, but the throttle response and handling require a different riding style. It’s a learning curve, but I’m super happy with how it’s performing and how it feels in the dunes. Now it’s about fine-tuning everything for Dakar 2026.”
The last two years I had pretty high numbers after some tough editions, but now it dropped more than 60 places compared to 5 years ago. It’s just a number, but it can change a bit how the prologue goes.
I’m really impressed with the new Kove bike. The top speed is higher than the KTM replica, but the throttle response and handling require a different riding style. It’s a learning curve, but I’m super happy with how it’s performing and how it feels in the dunes. Now it’s about fine-tuning everything for Dakar 2026.”
