Posted: Monday, 17th January, 2005 : 6:17 AM - - 3,597 Reads

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It was a question of honour. At the start of the race in Barcelona, the KTM-Gauloises team promised they would place one of their 'blue bikes' on the highest step of the podium of the 27th Dakar, in memory of Richard Sainct three-time winner of the event who had tragically died three months earlier during the 'Pharaoh rally' in Egypt.

On the Dakar, Cyril Despres and his mates were once again hit by the terrible death of Fabrizio Meoni during stage 11. Devastated, the KTM official riders had a new reason to carry on, despite the pain, "because that's what he would have wanted!"

In memory of Fabrizio and Richard, Despres won his first Dakar after having climbed on both the second (in 2003) and third steps (in 2004) of the podium. The Frenchman had started building his victory well before the tragedy that rocked the whole rally.

But it is a bitter victory. "I am very happy to have won," claimed Cyril Despres. "But I believe I won’t cope with what I have accomplished for yet another few weeks. At the moment I’m just relieved and satisfied that I could keep my promise which Fabrizio and I had given each other during the test runs in Tunisia. We wanted a "blue" rider to stand on top of the podium in Dakar. We wanted to do this for Richard. Now that I have managed it, the victory is also dedicated to Fabrizio."

On the eve of the crash, during the Atar-Atar special, Despres took command of the rally thanks to a 10' lead on Meoni who was to finish his last stage. Before that, the 31-year old rider based his race on regularity, making it nice and easily in the Top 5 of every single stage before entering Mauritania, his favourite playground.

"I have learned so much from Fabrizio and Richard," explained Despres. "I had the same troubles they had in the beginning of my career. They learnt to go fast thanks to guys like Peterhansel, Magnaldi and Orioli. When I started they were my guides. Trying to follow them, understanding how to cope with navigation helped me improve. I don’t know if I ever really had an idol, but that I am here today is thanks to Fabrizio and Richard."

Once in the overall lead, Despres after his Atar masterpiece never let go of his advantage and controlled is closest rivals from then on. The only danger came from Marc Coma who had closed the gap on the leader to 3'16 because of a time penalty given to Despres for speeding. Not a problem for the talented Frenchman who left his main rival way behind on the penultimate stage to Dakar, clinching at the same time his second special success.

This 27th edition was a good opportunity to discover the talents that will certainly dominate the upcoming years alongside Cyril Despres. David Frétigné, 5th overall and the only rider to have won three specials this year (added to two second spots), will certainly be among those that will be the main actors of the Dakar in the upcoming years.

Slightly older but just as talented, Australian Andy Caldecott (2 stage wins), as well as Spaniards Coma and Esteve, who are part of the 'Nani Roma generation' will certainly also be of those fighting for glory in the deserts of Africa. The 'First time' standings crowned two very impressive youngsters. Indeed, Americans Chris Blais (9th overall, and twice 3rd on specials) and Kellon Walch (22nd and winner of the last stage around the Lac Rose), from the KTM – Redbull team easily captured the first two spots, while David Casteu (13th overall) clinched the 'Marathon' class win. For her first experience on the Dakar, 21-year-old Ludivine Puy, was the better placed of the two remaining riders in the women's standings.

With Cyril Despres’ victory KTM has also reached its goal in this year’s Dakar. For the 5th time a rider won the toughest rally in the world on a motorcycle from the manufacturer in Mattighofen. With that KTM outdid the manufacturers Yamaha and BMW. But no one is getting overly excited about this.

"At the moment the sporting success is totally pushed in the background," explained Winfried Kerschhaggl, KTM marketing director.

"We are thinking about the future right now. If we cannot find some common ground about the safety, we will have to think about or engagement in the future. The motorcycles have not become that much faster over the previous few years. But the density of great riders has definitely increased. We would like the rally to become more sporting again and this means more navigation."

Fabrizio Meoni was able to claim the first victory on a KTM in 2001. In 2002 the Italian was able to repeat this success. In 2003 Richard Sainct gains his 3rd Dakar victory – his first one on a KTM. As the first Spaniard, Nani Roma won the Dakar on a KTM last year. And now Cyril Despres is the winner. It should have been an incredible day for all those, who work in Mattighofen to further the rally sport. But surely no one is in the mood to celebrate now.

Main Photo: Cyril Despres
Credit: T. Flechsig

STAGE 16 Results - FINAL
Pos.	Dos.	Name	Mark	Time	Variation	Penalty
1	021	WALCH	KTM	17' 17"	00' 00"	-
2	007	ESTEVE PUJOL	KTM	18' 09"	00' 52"	-
3	029	VERHOEF	KTM	18' 12"	00' 55"	-
4	153	BROUWER	YAMAHA	18' 14"	00' 57"	-
5	222	FRANSSEN	KTM	18' 21"	01' 04"	-
6	012	FRETIGNE	YAMAHA	18' 22"	01' 05"	-
7	014	SALA	KTM	18' 39"	01' 22"	-
8	022	BLAIS	KTM	19' 00"	01' 43"	-
9	011	DABROWSKI	KTM	19' 07"	01' 50"	-
10	003	COX	KTM	19' 15"	01' 58"	-
11	186	AUGUSTYNS	KTM	19' 20"	02' 03"	-
12	096	KARSMAKERS	KTM	19' 24"	02' 07"	-
13	006	COMA	KTM	19' 27"	02' 10"	-
14	082	DE BOIS	YAMAHA	19' 38"	02' 21"	-
15	144	BECKERS	KTM	19' 50"	02' 33"	-
16	002	DESPRES	KTM	19' 55"	02' 38"	-
17	009	BRUCY	KTM	19' 58"	02' 41"	-
18	207	COTTET	YAMAHA	20' 09"	02' 52"	-
19	025	DE AZEVEDO	KTM	20' 10"	02' 53"	-
20	056	VIGNERON	KTM	20' 13"	02' 56"	-

STANDING OVERALL BIKES - After Stage 16 - Final result
Pos.	Dos.	Name	Mark	Time	Variation	Penalty
1	002	DESPRES	KTM	47h 27' 31"	00' 00"	09' 00"
2	006	COMA	KTM	47h 36' 48"	09' 17"	-
3	003	COX	KTM	47h 39' 00"	11' 29"	01' 00"
4	007	ESTEVE PUJOL	KTM	47h 39' 22"	11' 51"	01' 00"
5	012	FRETIGNE	YAMAHA	48h 01' 07"	33' 36"	13' 30"
6	023	CALDECOTT	KTM	48h 15' 42"	48' 11"	17' 00"
7	025	DE AZEVEDO	KTM	48h 55' 12"	1h 27' 41"	-
8	014	SALA	KTM	49h 01' 24"	1h 33' 53"	05' 00"
9	022	BLAIS	KTM	49h 20' 41"	1h 53' 10"	01' 00"
10	009	BRUCY	KTM	50h 39' 10"	3h 11' 39"	10' 00"
11	011	DABROWSKI	KTM	51h 19' 03"	3h 51' 32"	-
12	010	CZACHOR	KTM	51h 44' 10"	4h 16' 39"	-
13	042	CASTEU	KTM	52h 00' 32"	4h 33' 01"	-
14	026	DUCLOS	KTM	52h 21' 25"	4h 53' 54"	02' 00"
15	015	GRAZIANI	KTM	53h 23' 00"	5h 55' 29"	01' 00"
16	145	VERHOEVEN	YAMAHA	54h 33' 32"	7h 06' 01"	20' 00"
17	017	HARDEN	KTM	54h 48' 31"	7h 21' 00"	-
18	019	CHARBONNEL	KTM	55h 13' 08"	7h 45' 37"	01' 00"
19	131	QUINONERO	KTM	56h 30' 51"	9h 03' 20"	17' 00"
20	076	LEPAN	KTM	56h 56' 41"	9h 29' 10"	01' 00"

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