Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

The factory KTM team is all geared up for the 2017 edition of the world's toughest off-road event, the Dakar Rally.

By Sukesh

Dakar Rally, the toughest marathon off-road event on the planet will kick off from Paraguay in a few hours with the first stage going live. Since 2001, the motorcycle class has been dominated by KTM.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

This year too the Austrian factory team is well prepared with their five factory riders geared up to take on the challenge to ride on the toughest terrains on the planet.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

Leading the KTM factory team is the Australian rider, 2016 Dakar winner Toby Price. This will be his third Dakar with an impressive record of finishing 3rd and 1st in his previous ventures.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

British rider Sam Sunderland made his Dakar debut in 2015 and will start the 2017 edition with confidence after finishing second in the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

Austrian rider Matthias Walkner will be competing in his third Dakar Rally after the disappointment of 2016 edition. He was forced to retire due to a fractured leg, although he was back on the motorcycle for the last two rounds of the 2016 championship.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

Missing from the rider lineup is the French rider Antoine Meo who had a surgery on his left wrist. Replacing him will be the Mexican rider Ivan Ramirez a rookie rider at the Dakar Rally 2017.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

Completing the rider lineup is the KTM Factory Racing's powerful women rider Laia Sann from Spain. She will be riding her sixth Dakar Rally, in 2015 edition she finished in an impressive ninth overall.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

Dakar Sporting Director and five-time winner for the factory KTM team, Marc Coma have promised an extremely tough edition. He stated that 2017 Dakar preserves the rally-raid traditions, with a physical challenge that will push the limits of competitors to the extreme edge of endurance.

Dakar 2017: KTM Factory Riders Are Ready To Take On The Challenge

Dakar 2017 will kick start from Paraguay with the first stage, the crews will cover around 9,000km from 2nd January to 14th January 2017 spanning across three countries.

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Article Published On: Monday, January 2, 2017, 17:58 [IST]
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