Dakar Rally: Petrucci has passed the COVID test and is ready for the race-Roadracing World Magazine

Shakedown Complete – RED BULL KTM is all set for DAKAR2022

Dakar Rally 2022 – Preview

The three Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teams, Matthias Walkner, Toby Price and Kevin Benavides, have successfully completed the pre-event shakedown and final management tasks and are ready for the first stage of the 2022 Dakar Rally tomorrow. increase. January 1. Joining three former race winners, KTM Factory Racing’s Danilo Petrucci will make his competitive rally debut.

This year’s Dakar Rally, which will celebrate its 44th anniversary in 2022, will be held in the Middle East for the third consecutive year, covering a total distance of 8,106 kilometers. The first day of the event, named Stage 1A, held on January 1st, was divided into 12 full stages, with riders a short 19km between the start of the race ritual in Jeddah and the first Zelt in Ha. Face the prologue. ‘il – 609 kilometers route.

On Sunday, January 2nd, the first true test of the event will take place in Stage 1B. This is a 514km loop route that includes the first “appropriate” timing special at 333km. Athletes will be on stage for a marathon near Riyadh for a break on Saturday, January 8th. There is no external support.

The second week of Dakar often proves to be the toughest, and it looks like it will be in 2022. Riders depart from Riyadh on their way back to Jeddah’s finish line, but first need to cover nearly 4,000 km and some of the event’s most technically demanding time specials. ..

His eighth appearance in Dakar is for FIM Cross-Country Rally World Champion Matthias Walker to compete in the 2022 race to maintain his strong and consistent run. The 2018 winners are fully aware of what it takes to claim victory at the event and have a break before pushing hard to win the second Dakar title in the second half of the race. I am aiming to arrive safely.

Matthias Walker: “The shakedown is complete. I’m really happy to be back on the bike here in Saudi Arabia. As I get closer to the start of the big race, I’ve been really focused and hard work in the last few months. It’s been almost two weeks without it, so it felt a little strange at first, but soon it became comfortable and I was able to test quite a few settings. I put in as many kilometers as possible in a short session. I tried, but everything felt good. Soon we faced the prologue and the rest of the first stage and have a better idea of ​​what things are going on. But for now, I’m looking forward to starting the race. “

In a year of recovery from the injury, Toby Price left the bike for most of the 2021 season. But now that it’s close to a perfect fit, Australians are looking forward to taking on another Dakar Rally challenge. We are confident that the testing and development done on the new KTM 450 RALLY will be rewarded throughout the year, and Price is very focused on securing a third victory in Dakar.

Toby Price: “Yes, today’s shakedown really worked. The Red Bull KTM bike feels very good so far, and I’m very keen to start the race now. The event itself is really 12 days in the desert. It’s going to be a tough and big test as usual. You need to be consistent, have a good rest day, and see what the second week will bring. “

Ready for Dakar debut at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2021 champion Kevin Benavides is confident that he will be even more successful at the 2022 event. Immediately settling on the team and finding the KTM 450 RALLY to his liking, the Argentine star is keen to line up in two rows in the world’s toughest cross-country rallies.

Kevin Benavides: “The shakedown was really good. After all the work I did on my new bike, it’s very important to do the final test on the terrain I’m about to face, so I’ll wait a long time until it’s done. I enjoyed the shakedown and the bike really feels good. Immediately I got a better connection with the bike and I was able to test a lot. The bike is definitely on point with the suspension and engine and everything. Now is the time to get everything ready, focus on the race and start the show. “

Former MotoGP star Danilo Petrucci has withstood the tough times until the 2022 Dakar Rally. After arriving in Jeddah after an ankle injury in a practice crash a few weeks before the race, he gave a positive Covid test and suspected participation. Thankfully, a further blood test showed a negative infection, allowing the likable Italians to ride on the Tech3 KTM Factory Racing rally bike.

Danilo Petrucci: “After a few really difficult days, I was finally able to race. When I received the message that the Covid test returned positive, I was biking in a shakedown. Thankfully, blood. The test gave a negative result and I was allowed to compete. I still need to pay attention to my ankles, but I’m really looking forward to it now. Thanks again to the help of the whole team last week. “

https://ift.tt/32OY87w Dakar Rally: Petrucci has passed the COVID test and is ready for the race-Roadracing World Magazine

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