Rally sport nowadays is one of the greatest challenges for man and machine
combining sport and adventure. Rally means riding through spectacular
sceneries on remote desert pists, experiencing sand storms, suffering from
stinging heat during the day and chilling cold during the night, sleeping in
tents and working in the sand with basic equipment. Endurance and good
navigation are as important as good riding skills. Not the fastest rider
will win, but the most complete one.

The rally season starts in mid winter with the Dakar, the mother of all
rallies, and is followed by a World Championship series consisting of eight
rallies throughout the year.

The KTM Factory team varies from 6 to 8 riders throughout the season. On the
Dakar the maximum amount of riders will be present, twelve pilots in three
different teams. The mechanical and logistical
base is Mattighofen, but from the start on the teams race indepentently with
their own structure and fight each other.

There will be two classes in the World Championship 2005 - up to 450cc and
more than 450cc.

OVERALL TEAM MANAGER - HANS TRUNKENPOLZ:
After so much successes, what appeals you to compete again as a team
manager at this Dakar?
In the open class, so to speak the formula one of the rally sports, we
compete with our KTM 660 Rally. The world elite of rally pilots fights for
the crown of rally. Without exaggerating it, we have developed the
best motorcycle here and we aren’t afraid of any competitor. Technically,
the 450 cc class will be the biggest challenge again, since we only start
with one rider and many other brands declared war to us.
Contrary to the open class, the regulations here allow to change the engines
arbitrarily. That makes it somewhat easier for our competitors, because we
follow the objective that every pilot of us has to reach Dakar with only one
spare engine. However, we are optimally prepared with our new 450 and I am
really happy to see the machines and pilots after months racing again.

How many riders will be provided with service during the Dakar?
Of 220 nominations will be 152 KTM motorcycles, which is definitely the best
demonstration of the quality of our rally bikes.