ok all the pre event press releases are now coming out so here goes....
KTM
Hans Trunkenpolz - KTM Rally Team Management is speaking
Interview with the Head of the Rally Department - Hans Trunkenpolz ...
Please tell us something about the teams for 2008
The KTM teams for the Dakar 2008 include winners from 2006 and 2007, the second-place getter from 2007 and three more top riders. We are therefore represented in the best possible way, not only in quantity but also in the quality of our riders, who have another Dakar victory firmly in their line of vision. Three of the six riders are presently working hard to heal the after effects of crash injuries so that they can be sure to be on the starting line in really top form. Marc Coma and Cyril Despres are the absolute favourites for the overall victory but there's no way that we are underestimating the top riders of the other brands who are continuously further developing their material. As a principle, I do not give any predictions about who might win the Dakar 2008, because unexpected things come along practically on a daily basis. They require that we take them into consideration and they create a whole new set of circumstances.
All riders are starting with the new 690 Rally, are there any technical changes / improvements when compared to last year?
In principle the 690 Rally remains the same. But we are able to continually make small modifications and improvements from the comprehensive testing that we carry out and as a result of the other rallies that we participate in.
Are there any changes in the regulations and if so, what effects might they have?
As well as the very needy and very strict control of the speed limits, there have been other measures to increase safety, like for example, a separate piste each for motorcycles and other vehicles in Morocco, which is very important. In the marathon sections that do not allow assistance, the factory riders must also ride at a controlled speed, because in the case of a crash they have to be able to get the bike going again without the help of a mechanic. Riders must factor this into their strategy.
How important is the area of customer care at KTM?
It is extremely important for KTM. The 690 Replica has been exclusively developed for our customers. Special prototypes are also used for the factory team. With the Replica, however, KTM chose to produce a machine that from its construction was identical with that of the factory bike. The sale of more than 200 Replicas in the first year of production is an indication of just how well the motorcycle has been accepted.
The Neck Brace System is being continuously further developed. How are riders getting along with it and what kinds of further developments have been made?
The Neck Brace System has been completely accepted by the riders, and after a short period of getting used to it, none of them feel that their movement has been restricted. Because of the sales success of the brace, the manufacturers has sufficient budget at their disposal to carry out intensive further development, and this is now being done.
NMSP...
The four cars which are due to spearhead the Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team’s 2008 Dakar bid successfully completed the special shakedown session which took place today at the squad's usual test venue in Marmagne, northwest of Macon, approximately 60km from its headquarters in Pont de Vaux, France.
All four crews braved the freezing weather to give their respective Pajero Montero Evolution MPR13s a final systems check before the vehicles are trucked to Lisbon, Portugal, in time for scrutineering and the official start of the African marathon which kicks off on January 5, 2008.
Luc Alphand/Gilles Picard (France), Hiroshi Masuoka/Pascal Maimon (Japan/France) and Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (France) and Joan 'Nani' Roma/Lucas Cruz (Spain) all profited from the day to bed in a variety of mechanical parts and make a number of fine-tuning adjustments to their cars and seating positions round the maze of gravel tracks that make up the test base.
"Everything went perfectly smoothly," reported the team Technical Director, Thierry Viardot. "The intention of today’s run wasn't to work on the set-up of the cars. That was done some time ago as a function of the results of the different test sessions organised during the year. Our objective was essentially to ensure there were no problems following the cars' build. Certain drivers were happy to call it a day after a brief drive, others spent longer at the wheel, but the exact distance covered by each crew was up to them. When you're talking about an event that lasts several thousand kilometres, it really wasn't a difference of a few of kilometres one way or the other today that will make a big difference once the competitive action begins next month.
"The beauty of the test facilities we use is that they offer a wide variety of surface types and we are free to make any changes we wish if we want to reproduce certain conditions,"concluded Viardot. "Another advantage is the fact that the tracks never get muddy, even it rains. However, with temperatures ranging from -6°C to -3°C today, that wasn't a problem this time!"
The shakedown session took place just days after the crews had completed their final physical fitness course of the year together. After their hike le Tour du Mont Blanc in July and a week of outdoor activities in Catalonia, Spain in November, this month's programme took them to the Thalasso Centre in Douarnenez, in Brittany, France, for a week of running, cycling, swimming, sauna and thalasso-therapy.
"It's always nice to get together off events but this sort of work is a vital part of our build-up to the Dakar," explained Luc Alphand's co-driver and former biker Gilles Picard. "The programme wasn't quite as intensive as it was the two other two times, and the sauna and thalasso-therapy were quite relaxing. That said, it was still sufficiently taxing to ensure we slept soundly each night!"
The 16-day 2008 Dakar starts in Lisbon on Saturday, January 5, and is scheduled to finish by the Lac Rose, near Dakar, Senegal, on Sunday, January 20.
