2011 Dakar
This YouTube video displays the Red Bull KTM team preparing and testing in France for the 2011 Dakar.
The man behind the KTM bars is Cyril Despres. Here’s a note from Despres discussing the KTM Dakar Prep video:
Cyril Despres says:
Most of the time on the Dakar I am alone in the middle of nowhere concentrating very hard. I’m focused on riding the KTM bike fast, taking care with the navigation, thinking about tactics.
The only way I can maintain that level of concentration is if I shut out as many other thoughts as possible. And the only way I can do that is if I am 100% certain that all the many other things that need to be attended to are being properly taken care of by my KTM team.
It is why I wanted this last video clip before the 2011 Dakar to present the members of the team and show them both at work and at play. Nine in total, we are made up of six different nationalities, French, Portuguese, English, Andorran, Austrian and German – maybe a strange mix, that was one of the keys to our success in 2010.
We didn’t intentionally set out to have the most diverse team in the bivouac, we were looking to work with the best one.
We will all be heading to South America on the 27 December and between now and then will be spending some precious time with our families, unpacking a few presents and packing a lot bags. I hope you to have a very happy Christmas and wish you a joyous and prosperous New Year.
All the best
Cyril Despres
P.S. Many thanks to the Cave Corbières Grand Sud in Lézignan in the South of France for laying on an excellent evening of wine tasting. An address I can thoroughly recommend!
