Jan 22, 2005 06:37 AM
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(Updated Jan 22, 2005 09:05 AM)
First of all, this review is dedicated to a great biker and two time Paris Dakar rally winner Fabrizio Meoni who tragically died during stage 11 of the rally.
And this review was written under MITSUBISHI as it has won the rally for the last 2 years.
I am a big fan and follower of Paris Dakar rally. I have been following this great and EPIC rally for the last 11 years. At that time , I guess it was 19993 when I got hooked on to this rally . Peterhansel, Charbonnier, Arcarons, used to compete in the bike section and De Vatanen-Delférier, Auriol-Picard, Salonen-Gallagher, Ambrosinno-Guéhennec in the car section.
This rally is a true test of man and machine. And how the two can combine together to bring out the best out of them. The question is not about winning this rally, but the main objective is to live the passion and the experience which one gains during the course of this great rally.
The Paris Dakar rally stands true and justifies its motto ?: ''A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind.? This was given to it by its founder Thierry Sabine.
The adventure began in 1977. When Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorcycle in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice rally. ''Rescued from the sands'' in extremis, he returned to France defeated by these dreamlike landscapes. He then promised himself that he would share this discovery with as many as possible and lived for a single goal: take a maximum number of people into the immensity of this sand. This led him to imagine an extraordinary journey originating in Europe. The route would then continue to Algiers before crossing Agadez and ultimately leading to Dakar. The plan quickly became a reality.
The rally potrays Africa, as a multi-faceted continent, in fact offered the perfect elixir, combining dreams with the world of competition. On 26 December 1978, the first Paris-Dakar took off from the Place du Trocadéro. That was over a quarter of a century ago...
On 26 December 1978, the Place du Trocadéro witnessed the first send-off of the Paris-Dakar rally. One hundred-seventy competitors had to cross 10,000 kilometers on the pistes of Algeria, Niger, Mali, Upper Volta and Senegal. The most newsworthy race of the late century was on! What made it unique was one particular characteristic: the contrast between a civilization and traditional villages with dried mud huts and the modern world. The first motorcycle winner was a young man named Cyril Neveu (Yamaha). Still an unknown, he would go on to run up a stream of impressive sports achievements
The first car team was that of Genestier, Terbiaut and Lemordant (Range Rover), which finished in fourth place.
But for this initial experience, finish times and rankings did not matter much. Self-discovery, adventure and exceeding one's own limitations were the essence of the event. (This still holds true as it is the main objective behind the rally)
This first Dakar was a huge success. Its impact, both in terms of the majesty of the revealed landscapes and the originality of the route, resonated. The rally definitively changed the lives of every competitor. The most daunting off-road rally of all time was born.
The launch of the Dakar rally met with immediate, strong success and spawned true fascination among competitors and makers alike. Beginning in 1980, the biggest names in the industry, such as Yamaha, Volkswagen, Lada and BMW, each hired a team. Furthermore, the number of competitors moved up from 170 to 216 in 1980.
This edition was also marked by a major first: the inclusion of trucks. Cyril Neveu won for the second time in a row on a private Yamaha while in the car class, Kotulinsky and Patrick Zaniroli were victorious. As for Hubert Auriol, he was excluded from his class because he finished the race in a ''bush-taxi''. The first truck to see its name among the winners was the Sonacome driven by Ataquat, Boukrif and Kaoula.
The 27th Edition of the Paris Dakar rally was deeply touched by the tragic deaths of Fabrizio Meoni and José Manuel Perez. The 27th Edition of the Paris Dakar rally was won by Frenchman Cyril Despres (KTM) in the bike race. On four wheels, Stephane Peterhansel (MIT) conquered his second consecutive victory while the truck race win remained in the hands of the Kamaz team but it was Firdaus Kabirov's turn to clinch the overall win. In all the drivers and bikers of the 104 bikes, 75 cars and 37 trucks finished the rally
In the end, I can only say that this rally is a true test of character. I wish I could be a part of it anyway possible,
I know to some people this review, will only look as a history chapter. But, I really wanted to share this will all the members and visitors of Mouth Shut.
NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK ?Dakar Book 2004? which is a must read for any car and rally fan.
