The dances begin in the dunes of the 2023 edition of the Dakar Rally. Many pilots and teams who have already registered and presented and just as many news of the next edition.
The presentation of the Dakar 2023 was held at the headquarters of the famous MV Agusta, on Lake Varese. Among cars, trucks and motorcycles, we met friends, drivers and the organizers of the rally who anticipated some news.
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MV Agusta and Lucky Explorer Project
Right on the shores of this lake, where once the Cagiva engines roared, the "bivouac" of the first appointment of the Dakar Rally 2023.
From the MV Agusta warehouses, over 30 years ago, the dreams of the first Italians who wanted to participate in the magical African rally were born and made real. To remember this glorious age there was the motorcycle by Edi Orioli, winner of the 90 and 94 editions, flanked by the beautiful maxi enduro by MV Agusta, which take up the look of the historic Cagivas.
The event was attended by many Dakarians (pilots, navigators, mechanics ...) from all over Italy, in addition to the leaders of the Rally: in the front row “the boss” David Castera, accompanied by the competitor manager Charles Cuypers and the technical one Thierry Viardot who illustrated the news and regulations in detail.
The Coast to Coast route and the main news
There will be a new one itinerario for the fourth edition of the Dakar in Saudi Arabia, which will take place from 31 December 2022 to 15 January 2023 and will be the first round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship.
The route will take pilots from the beaches of the Red Sea to the sands of the Persian Gulf in Dammam. At the start a "Sea Camp" will be set up complete with every comfort and service, but this crossing will soon make it fall into oblivion. It will, in fact, be a complete tour of all types of terrain, full of challenges and pitfalls, with 14 stages that will lead the Dakar bandwagon first in the north-western mountainous regions, then towards the deep southeast for a three-day journey through the ocean of dunes in the Empty Quarter, the absolute nothing.
There are two marathon stages, those without assistance, 3 the daisy specials and probably 2 roadbooks to lighten the tracks from the tire grooves and put even more spice on the competition between the riders of the same category.
Italian drivers and teams
Among the motorcycle riders of the last edition we met Lorenzo Piolini, who last year, in his second participation, concluded the Dakar starting with a collarbone bolted in 4 points. Tiziano Internò, who was divided between cameras and sand, giving us a wonderful documentary on the rally experienced in first person, released just in these days.
The Tecnosport team is already hot and in the front row with the mega assistance truck, mother and nanny of their drivers and the vehicles that will be competing, especially in the Classic edition, such as the Nissan of the 90s driven by Giacomo Clerici and Oscar Polli in the previous edition.
The Dakar is also tinged with Pink, with Rebecca Busi, who from last year's Range Rover, protagonist of the Euro Sport on-board, moves to an SBS (Side by Side) together with Giulia Marroni.
And on this occasion, Filippo Bassoli, Marketing Director of MV Agusta, confirmed the presence among the bikes of another Italian team, which will probably see Ottavio Missoni and perhaps Francesco Catanese at the start.
Also present was Paolo Bettini, the Italian cyclist who has already accumulated a few million kilometers by bike between the numerous editions of the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta, who also admitted to having the Dakar among his dreams. He is not lacking in physique and we can't wait to see him at the Start.
