“Sooner or later you need an ally by your side”
RIDER FACTS…
- After years of competing on dirt bikes and becoming a test rider for references such as Akrapovic and KTM, Toni Mulec finally had his first taste of the Dakar in 2023.
- The Slovenian who has a massive experience in terms of enduro and motocross taking part in ISDE events as well as races like the Enduropale du Touquet, flew to an impressive 24th spot overall for his first Dakar despite very little time on a rally bike.
- On the last edition, despite being injured before the start, he showed what a consistent rider he was, finishing in the Top 20 of all but one stage including a 13th position on day 8 and eventually finished 15th overall.
- Far from his days on motocross or enduro tracks, what Mulec now enjoys is discovering the world thanks to rallies. His 2024 year was indeed a busy one and took home to faraway lands just as Japan or Mongolia where he was given the nickname Gengis Khan after winning the rally.
- The man from Slovenj Gradec returns to Dakar with big ambitions and will once again be part of the Bas World KTM Racing team.
AMBITION 2025
T.M.: ‘’The last Dakar was an amazing journey! On the final day I cried a lot. It is hard for me to put into words the feelings I had when I arrived at the finish line. It was another crazy Dakar.
Thirty kilometers from the end, I burst into tears and I could barely see in front of me. I was overwhelmed by mixed feelings: from satisfaction, relief, to extreme tiredness, joy, pride. I really hoped that I had given something back to my people, that they were proud of me,"
That finish was completely different for me than last year's, a thousand times more emotionally charged, because three months before I was still too broken for the Dakar.
At the Dakar, the relationships are the most friendly and the riders are more connected to each other, because we are all aware of how unpredictable it is. Sooner or later you need an ally by your side in the middle of the desert.”