Monday Breakfast with Alexis Roitman. Monday June 29, 6:00am - 9:00am
Monday Brekkie hangs tough this week. OUT: poets and the chi cycle.
IN: busting bellies and motorcycle racing across the Sahara. First up, 10 year old Imogen joins Alexis for a chat on schoolyard hassles and generally being a kid. Then at 7:30am it's all about voodoo, what it's like to be a competitor in the Dakar Rally and finding life's '7th gear' in Being...Christophe Barriere-Varju.
www.2ser.com
Listen to Christophe's previous radio interview
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Will the Africa Race replace the Dakar Rally in 2010? The rising mutiny against the ASO says yes.
Article from CycleNews.com
A recent announcement from Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), promoters of the Dakar Rally, stated that they will enforce a limit of 450cc for single-cylinder motorcycles effective in 2010. Following the announcement, KTM declared complete withdrawal from the race, slated to take place in South America in January of 2010. KTM Austria’s race team manager and rally coordinator Alex Doringer talked more about KTM’s decision to withdrawal from the Dakar Rally – a decision they felt was the only realistic option given the circumstances by Dakar Rally promoters – and what the manufacturer with such a heavy investment in rally racing plans to do next.
“I think it’s easy to explain after the decision [ASO] made to reduce the capacity on the engines down to 450,” Doringer said. “We don’t agree with the decision. The points they gave us as to why they made the decision; we don’t confirm them. They’re talking about safety, they’re talking about money for private riders and this isn’t true that it’s safe or cheaper.”
Realizing that it’s late notice for many, ASO has proposed an allowance for larger displacements in the 2010 Dakar Rally, such as KTM’s 690cc single-cylinder bike, provided they run a restrictor plate which limits top speed. KTM also feels that this option is unreasonable.
“For rally racing, a restrictor is not good because six months before, we don’t have the possibility to test so we don’t know how it will affect the tires, the engine, nothing,” Doringer said. “To race with a restrictor in a rally where you need power, it’s a stupid thing.”
KTM feels that the decision was particularly discourteous to them, considering the manufacturer’s total support of the ASO’s decision to cancel the Dakar in 2008.
“We supported them,” Doringer said. “We told our riders they are not allowed to go to Africa. [For ASO] to work out the things with us in this way is not fair and not friendly. I think that’s the logical answer KTM gave to them and as well to our customers. We told them and also to our customers that we are not going [to South America] with the race team and not with the support team at all.”
So what does this mean for the most famous rally race in the world? Along with a number of other die-hards, KTM is still hell bent on keeping the tradition alive and going rally racing in Africa. Enter the “Race of Africa.”
Dakar Rally originator Jean Louis Schlesser and former ASO race director Hubert Auriol worked with Rene Metge and Jose Maria Servia in creating the Race of Africa which took place – much to the ASO’s chagrin – at the same time and in the same place last year as the Dakar Rally traditionally runs. With one successful year under their belt, Auriol and Schlesser are now in talks with KTM about bringing the factory teams back to Africa in 2010.
The official website (www.AfricaRace.com) has a video featuring Sporting Director, Rene Metge. The video opens with the Frenchman stating, “I am fed up with all this! I can’t wait to be in Africa...” and he goes on to name three reasons why.
“The first and most important reason: Africa is irreplaceable. And I know what I am talking about, having traveled and worked in all corners of the world. But Africa is such a different continent. The second reason is the price. It is much, much cheaper. The third, we are not far from Europe. And the total time between leaving and returning is about three weeks.”
In more information on the race website, Metge promises an original course starting in Barcelona and ending in Dakar, Senegal which will take place from December 27, 2009 to January 10, 2010. Of the second annual Race of Africa, Metge said, “It will not be easy, but those who decide to trust us will not regret it.”
KTM is admittedly a little more than enticed by the opportunity to return to traditional rally racing in Africa.
“We put one and one together and we agree with them that it’s a good idea to go back to Africa,” Doringer said. “Not saying that South America was a bad experience... I think it was a good experience and a great success, but at the moment, it’s a good idea to work out something with [the Race of Africa], and possibility that KTM is coming and that maybe we bring customers with us, as we will also bring the service team. It’s not confirmed and we’re still working on a plan, but it looks pretty good and I think it could be a good adventure and I know most of the customers will for sure follow us.”
While KTM is in meetings with the Race of Africa promoters, they are also in meetings with the ASO to try to reach a middle ground. But Doringer did not seem optimistic about the talks thus far with the Dakar promoters.
“I went on Tuesday to Geneva for a meeting with the FIM and of course, this was a big point of discussion,” Doringer said. “There was someone from ASO as well. The idea behind this that they will open it for different manufacturers and for different smaller teams, but to be honest, I know, and I think everybody knows, that there will not be more companies coming to race Dakar because it’s not a cheap race. Nobody has an enduro bike which is ready for rally and they don’t have a rally bike which they can put a restrictor so I don’t think the big companies will come. Maybe smaller teams will come, small teams with their own sponsors. And this is the idea that they have.
“They also think this will change the competition; they think it’s more open for other riders. They think they can maybe be faster with a smaller bike, or with our top guys on a reduced capacity engine, but I don’t believe that. Marc [Coma] and Cyril [Despres] are the biggest talents on rally bikes and even if they go with the 450 – which we will not do – they’ll still be the guys to fight against.”
Details and entries for the Race of Africa are currently available on the official website, www.AfricaRace.com.
A recent announcement from Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO), promoters of the Dakar Rally, stated that they will enforce a limit of 450cc for single-cylinder motorcycles effective in 2010. Following the announcement, KTM declared complete withdrawal from the race, slated to take place in South America in January of 2010. KTM Austria’s race team manager and rally coordinator Alex Doringer talked more about KTM’s decision to withdrawal from the Dakar Rally – a decision they felt was the only realistic option given the circumstances by Dakar Rally promoters – and what the manufacturer with such a heavy investment in rally racing plans to do next.
“I think it’s easy to explain after the decision [ASO] made to reduce the capacity on the engines down to 450,” Doringer said. “We don’t agree with the decision. The points they gave us as to why they made the decision; we don’t confirm them. They’re talking about safety, they’re talking about money for private riders and this isn’t true that it’s safe or cheaper.”
Realizing that it’s late notice for many, ASO has proposed an allowance for larger displacements in the 2010 Dakar Rally, such as KTM’s 690cc single-cylinder bike, provided they run a restrictor plate which limits top speed. KTM also feels that this option is unreasonable.
“For rally racing, a restrictor is not good because six months before, we don’t have the possibility to test so we don’t know how it will affect the tires, the engine, nothing,” Doringer said. “To race with a restrictor in a rally where you need power, it’s a stupid thing.”
KTM feels that the decision was particularly discourteous to them, considering the manufacturer’s total support of the ASO’s decision to cancel the Dakar in 2008.
“We supported them,” Doringer said. “We told our riders they are not allowed to go to Africa. [For ASO] to work out the things with us in this way is not fair and not friendly. I think that’s the logical answer KTM gave to them and as well to our customers. We told them and also to our customers that we are not going [to South America] with the race team and not with the support team at all.”
So what does this mean for the most famous rally race in the world? Along with a number of other die-hards, KTM is still hell bent on keeping the tradition alive and going rally racing in Africa. Enter the “Race of Africa.”
Dakar Rally originator Jean Louis Schlesser and former ASO race director Hubert Auriol worked with Rene Metge and Jose Maria Servia in creating the Race of Africa which took place – much to the ASO’s chagrin – at the same time and in the same place last year as the Dakar Rally traditionally runs. With one successful year under their belt, Auriol and Schlesser are now in talks with KTM about bringing the factory teams back to Africa in 2010.
The official website (www.AfricaRace.com) has a video featuring Sporting Director, Rene Metge. The video opens with the Frenchman stating, “I am fed up with all this! I can’t wait to be in Africa...” and he goes on to name three reasons why.
“The first and most important reason: Africa is irreplaceable. And I know what I am talking about, having traveled and worked in all corners of the world. But Africa is such a different continent. The second reason is the price. It is much, much cheaper. The third, we are not far from Europe. And the total time between leaving and returning is about three weeks.”
In more information on the race website, Metge promises an original course starting in Barcelona and ending in Dakar, Senegal which will take place from December 27, 2009 to January 10, 2010. Of the second annual Race of Africa, Metge said, “It will not be easy, but those who decide to trust us will not regret it.”
KTM is admittedly a little more than enticed by the opportunity to return to traditional rally racing in Africa.
“We put one and one together and we agree with them that it’s a good idea to go back to Africa,” Doringer said. “Not saying that South America was a bad experience... I think it was a good experience and a great success, but at the moment, it’s a good idea to work out something with [the Race of Africa], and possibility that KTM is coming and that maybe we bring customers with us, as we will also bring the service team. It’s not confirmed and we’re still working on a plan, but it looks pretty good and I think it could be a good adventure and I know most of the customers will for sure follow us.”
While KTM is in meetings with the Race of Africa promoters, they are also in meetings with the ASO to try to reach a middle ground. But Doringer did not seem optimistic about the talks thus far with the Dakar promoters.
“I went on Tuesday to Geneva for a meeting with the FIM and of course, this was a big point of discussion,” Doringer said. “There was someone from ASO as well. The idea behind this that they will open it for different manufacturers and for different smaller teams, but to be honest, I know, and I think everybody knows, that there will not be more companies coming to race Dakar because it’s not a cheap race. Nobody has an enduro bike which is ready for rally and they don’t have a rally bike which they can put a restrictor so I don’t think the big companies will come. Maybe smaller teams will come, small teams with their own sponsors. And this is the idea that they have.
“They also think this will change the competition; they think it’s more open for other riders. They think they can maybe be faster with a smaller bike, or with our top guys on a reduced capacity engine, but I don’t believe that. Marc [Coma] and Cyril [Despres] are the biggest talents on rally bikes and even if they go with the 450 – which we will not do – they’ll still be the guys to fight against.”
Details and entries for the Race of Africa are currently available on the official website, www.AfricaRace.com.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Origin of the Dakar Rally
Contrary to public belief, cross-country rallies did not begin with the Paris-Dakar organised in 1978 by the charismatic Thierry Sabine. No, the first ever rally raid began in 1976, from a visionary today forgotten: Jean Claude Bertrand.
Born from the legendary Bandama rally where in one year no paticipants were able to cross the finish line, the rally, Cote d'Ivoire-Cote d'Azur or, Abidjan-Nice, or also named "Cote-Cote" begins on 25 December 1976. The race is 8,600 kms long and 38 motorbikes start the adventure that must last until the 11th of January. The first special, Abidjan-Niamey is 1,725 kms long and must be completed in a maximum time of 31 hours. But this is not the longest stage. Tamanrasset to Fez is 2,700 kms long. All of which without practically any assistance.
Navigation is done with a manual compass!
The dreams for Jean-Claude Bertrand was to create a 10,000 to 15,000 kms race where most of it was through compass navigation, this was The Adventure.
Thierry Sabine participated in one of these races, got lost, and began to understand and appreciate Africa. In 1978 the Paris-Dakar was created.
Dakar Rally - KTM Withdraws
04.06.2009
“Rally Dakar” – KTM withdraws!
The limiting of motorcycles with a displacement of 450 cc forces the long term dominator of the Dakar Rally to withdraw.
Following the announcement at a press conference on June 4, 2009 of the French “ASO” - the organisers of the “South American Dakar“ that from 2010, only motorcycles with a maximum displacement of 450 cc will be permitted to compete, KTM, after eight consecutive victories, has decided to immediately accept the consequences and announces its withdrawal from the “Dakar”.
The company will no longer be represented at the rally in South America either with an official factory team or a KTM-supported team. At the same time, KTM underlines that the company remains committed to rally sport and will now concentrate its efforts on the world championship and other important rallies.
The organiser’s short term change to the rules, designed to end the dominance of KTM, and which comes without any advance warning, hits the KTM factory hard. Today, just six months before the start – and at a time when not only the factory team but also dozens of private teams are deep in preparations for this extremely complex rally, the immediate withdrawal of the worldwide market leader of offroad sports motorcycle is the only possible consequence.
“Every sport regulation needs changes and adjustments to new developments to retain an interest in it, but this also require the appropriate lead times. We have the entire material for the 690 Rally motorcycles for our factory team as well as that for 50 customers’ motorcycles in our storage facility ready to be constructed in June. Riders’ contracts have been finalised and all the team members have been engaged. The financial consequences that results from this decision are enormous. Quite apart from this, we are shocked by the organiser’s lack of loyalty, above all because of the huge efforts we made following the cancellation of the Dakar in 2008 by contributing to the new edition - even during a period of extreme economic crisis,” said KTM Motor Sport Advisor and “Rally Legend” Heinz Kinigadner in a first statement.
Following the decision for the deployment of 450cc motorcycles, which are unthinkably unsuitable for use in long distance rallies, KTM can no longer economically justify a commitment to be engaged in the Dakar in the future. KTM Motor Sport Director Winfried Kerschhaggl: “Rally sport serves to prove the efficiency and stability of our large volume series single cylinder. There is no question that we will remain active in rally sport! Having said that, for KTM, the rally in South America is now history. We will now fully concentrate on the Rally World Championship and we will seek out alternatives. Maybe we will soon again see full KTM Rally engagement on African soil – back to the roots!”
With its commitment to rally sports, KTM naturally takes the obligations to its long term worldwide customers seriously because it is they who have decided to put their trust in the products and in the unique service of the Austrian company for rally sport by choosing KTM motorcycles.
Heinz Kinigadner - KTM Motor Sport advisor
Winfried Kerschhaggl - KTM Motor Sport Director
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
ASO Limits Bikes to 450cc for 2010 Dakar
This year, the organisers of the Dakar have decided to balance the sporting aspect by changing the technical regulations in the car and bike classes. Some petrol vehicles will benefit from an aid that will allow them to reduce the gap that grew with the diesel technologies that have been dominating the debates. On two wheels, the decision to build for the 2011 horizon a field only for bikes of maximum 450cc will allow to level all bikers. This measure will partly be effective for 2010.
Bikes: on equal terms
For several years, more and more of the top bikers have won specials or finished in the leading ten overall positions using under 450cc bikes. At the same time, the smaller capacity machines have been more and more present, representing 40% of the registered riders at the start of the 2009 Dakar. Financially more accessible and more reliable than the older bikes of the previous generations and now more adapted to the demands of off-road rallies, the 450cc still have a deficit in performance that prevent them from reaching even higher ambitions. This difference will be totally erased for the 2011 Dakar during which only bikes with engines under 450cc will be accepted.
A bridle in 2010 for the amateurs over 450cc
In order to reach this objective of levelness between competitors that will open the number of potential victory contenders, a transition measure has been taken for the 2010 Dakar. Aware of the important number of competitors already having bikes of over 450cc, the organisers have decided to accept them for this edition with the obligation to set up a bridle reducing the power of the engine. This bridle, conceived to limit the performance to the level of the 450cc, will be provided by the rally organisation.
The champions on 450cc in 2010
This modification aiming to support the amateur riders that want to line up at the start of the rally will not be applicable to a certain number of professionals and semi-professionals for which a list will be established later. The possible winners will therefore be forced to use as soon as 2010 a bike of under 450cc. On equal terms, they will battle it out using the qualities that define champions in the discipline: physical endurance, piloting, navigation.
Autos: A helping hand for the "petrols"
The vehicles propelled by a turbo diesel engine have taken an advantage over their rivals, and have notably built an important gap on most of the amateur crews that take on the rally. In order to reduce this margin and allow the most competitive of the lot to be part of the battle in front, the crews that have an atmospheric petrol engine (over 2 air valve/cylinder) will be authorised to increase the size of the air arrival bridle, from 32mm to 34mm.
The regulation for the turbo diesel engines remains unchanged. The professional teams registered or supported by a constructor will be submitted to the current T1 regulation (art 6P3).
The tracks discovered in Argentina and Chile during the 2009 edition represent for the teams of the rally an invitation to continue the exploration. On a sports point of view, the potential of these territories offers exalting perspectives: by exploring new areas, the 2010 Dakar will offer and intense and renewed challenge. The experience of the first edition in South America having shown some restraints in terms of terrain, several changes have been planned in order to ensure security and equity between the competitors.
More sand
The dune crossings and off-piste navigation are part of the essential elements of rally raid. It is in these key domains that are evaluated the technical capacities of the competitors: in the sand, the performance is also a story of finesse and strategy. During the 2009 edition, the drivers and riders were already able to test themselves on different types of sand. They will have even more dune crossings in 2010.
On equal terms
The two countries that welcome the Dakar present complementary characteristics with enough variety to authorise different types of piloting to be expressed. The course planned for the 2010 race was designed with the will to spread equally the stages and difficulties between Argentina and Chile. The mileage, both in special and liaison, will be more or less the same from one side to the other of the Andes.
An adapted format
The selection of bikers
Like each year, the registration files will be very carefully examined. Several new measures will be introduced in the selection for the 2010 edition. Indeed, the riders will for example have to have taken part in a rally of the FIM World championship or to a Dakar Series event of the last three years.
Doubled courses
It sometimes occurs that the race configuration makes it difficult to mix different classes of vehicles. Each time the reconnaissance team judges that it is possible and necessary, different courses will be planned in order to limit risks. These devices will also allow taking bikers in more technical portions where they will be able to show their specific aptitudes.
A race for each
Again with the goal to fluidify the progression of the race vehicles, the starting times will be widened between the different types of vehicles. Thus, the first car will take off long after the last bike and the trucks will systemically take off after the last car.
CBV
Team Rally Australia
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