For many the daunting prospect of competing in the Dakar Rally is one that will never be realised. A race of mechanical, physical and mental endurance it is the toughest race on earth. Those that see through the 10,000km route from start to finish are considered kings among ordinary men while those who tame the beast and win reach god like status. KTM’s Marc Coma is one such rider that continues to rewrite the record books. 2011 not only marked a hat-trick of wins for the Spaniard, it also became the tenth consecutive victory for Austrian manufacture but more importantly the first victory for the revolutionary 450 Rally bike…
Winning Combo: Both Marc Coma and KTM are tough to beat in the Dakar
Was there added pressure to enter the Dakar not only as a favourite for top honours but to do so on a new bike, the KTM 450 Rally? When you rode off the start line in Buenos Aires, did you feel ready to go the distance?
When you compete in a race like the Dakar you always have some nerves but over the years I’ve learned to control these feelings. Regardless of bike, I always want to win, that is pressure I put on myself. Being part of a factory team like KTM there will be an expectation to win but that “pressure” is part of the job. We had worked extremely hard during the off-season leaving nothing to chance. Behind the scenes we spent a lot of time testing performance and reliability so when we arrived in Buenos Aires I knew we had done so with the best bike possible.
How difficult was it to develop this bike, were you constantly comparing it to what you knew in the 690 Rally?
We spent a lot of time testing and developing the bike to prepare it for a race like Dakar. The process wasn’t particularly difficult but time consuming. We started with the motocross 450 SX-f engine which already had excellent performance but was not suited to the demands of rally racing. To improve the reliability necessary to race for 10,000km the RPM’s were reduced and the engine internals strengthened. After that it was important to reach a good suspension setting to suit the engine characteristics.
Initially I found myself comparing it to my 690 Rally. This was a bike I had spent a lot of time developing with KTM. I knew it very well and early on I would compare the new 450 Rally to it trying to find more power but not now. The 450 Rally is a different feeling. It is more agile, almost like enduro. It is possible to carry more speed and ride different lines in places where we could not with the 690 Rally. It is faster in the technical places and at times can be easier crossing dunes but is slower on the faster roadwork sections.
The “spirit” of the Dakar has always been about big bore motors. Were you originally in favour of reducing the engine capacity from 690cc to 450cc?
I think this change has been coming for some time and is just an evolution within the sport. When I first started rally racing we raced 990cc twins. This was then reduced to 690cc mono cylinders that I helped develop, and now we have the 450 Rally. Overall it is a good option, it opens the sport up to more factories to compete, which will be great for competition and exposure. I feel riding a 450 will also be easier both financially and physically for amateurs.
Ready to Race: KTM prepare to win
There is no certainty with the Dakar. It is both physically and mentally exhausting. How then do you prepare for such a challenge?
Without doubt the Dakar is the hardest race in the world. If you are not physically prepared for it then you will mentally struggle to survive. You must ensure you are in the best condition possible to compete that comes not only from training but also from experience. It’s taken me many years of competition to reach a level where the two elements are balanced.
For the majority of us who will never get to experience riding the Dakar, what is it like to race across the vast desert plains and sand dunes we see on television?
I still vividly remember my first time when I reached the true rally stages of the Dakar. It is such a daunting and powerful environment to be in. You feel so small and vulnerable surrounded by mountains of sand with no civilisation in sight. At first it was scary but over time I’ve learned to love it and in the same way a motocross rider feels comfortable on the track, being in the sand dunes has become a second home for me.
Now that the race has settled into South America, how are you finding the challenge of that continent compared to the original road to Dakar in Africa?
The challenge of the Dakar Rally will always be long and tough no matter where it is. When we raced in Africa, we were faced with the challenge of the Sahara Desert – the biggest in the world and it was always unpredictable to race on. Now we have the Atacama Desert in Chile, it’s high altitude and salt basins present different challenges but are equally difficult.
Coma will lead everyone into the desert on January 1st
Was there a pivotal point in the race where you began to feel that you could win the race?
I never try to feel like that. The Dakar is such a difficult and tricky race that nothing is ever certain, you must focus solely on each day and take it as it comes. Each year the navigation becomes increasingly more difficult as organisers push us further and further. As a rider, you are the first to open the stage, there are no tracks to follow and therefore if you relax and lose concentration you could make mistakes that may cost you the rally.
How special was this win, it was not only the first 450cc victory but also KTM’s tenth consecutive Dakar win?
All wins are special. Obviously my first victory will be the most treasured as it marked my breakthrough in the sport. Then my second victory came in the first year that we raced in South America and now to win this year has marked another victory for the record books. It was important for KTM to get this win and I am happy to have been part of that, but I want to win many more! It has taken me many years to reach the level I’m at. I’ve worked very hard in my preparation, I am now at my peak and at 34 years of age I feel that it is now my time to win as much as I can!
Words: Robert Lynn