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 | OiLibya Rally of Morocco: Big names in the Bikes and Quads category.
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In a pleasant autumn sun, the oasis of Zagora slowly emerges out of his torpor. From around the world, some 150 competitors and their assistants are beginning to descend on the banks of the Oued Draa. On the eve of technical and administrative checks of the Oilibya Moroccan Rally 2010, everyone takes their mark, whilst pampering the mechanics and fine-tuning the final details. We have every reason to believe that we are about to experience a great adventure in the deep south of Morocco.
Proof lies in the list of competitors, a gathering of rare quality in each of the categories proposed by the Rally of Morocco, divided into six stages covering a total of 2,300 km (including 1,600 km of timed race) around Zagora. It promises to be varied and technically demanding. Sand trails and giant dunes, spiced up with the first implementation of new navigation rules much more sophisticated in terms of accuracy at WPM (Hidden Way Points).
With the presence of three manufacturers heavily involved in the discipline of rallies, this event will be the first open clash between the all new KTM 450, (this is their first official release), and their historical opponents BMW and Yamaha.
After months of tests, the French rider Cyril Despres and Marc Coma of Spain, who last week won himself a fourth crown on his last KTM 690 big bike outing, are fine tuning their bikes freshly released from the Mattighofen workshops. Used to trusting victory at the handlebars of their big bikes, the two champions will leave, this time on an equal footing with their main competitors.
A levelling force that may well benefit the armada of Yamaha Racing France and its young guns that are: Portugal’s Helder Rodrigues, France’s Olivier Pain, and the Spaniard Jordi Viladoms, recently transferred from the KTM team. Big changes and big ambitions also in the BMW team where the arrival of Frenchman David Fretigne (ex-Yamaha) alongside the Dutchman Frans Verhoeven, puts the Bavarian team among the legitimate candidates for victory, here on Moroccan soil.
And so the battle will rage in 450cc category, however the Poles Jakub Marek Dabrowski and Przygonski on KTM 690 are also in line for the final victory in the 450cc category. With no less than10 quad bikes in the race, competition will be heightened with participants coming from France, Morocco, Poland, Russia and Bulgaria.
2010/10/17 | 21:49 CET | EDITOR: MR/HS/NPO
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