The master and his pupils

Marc Coma spent one hour this morning with the rally's debutant bikers. Advising on good practices when tackling the biggest all terrain event in the world and detailing the fundamentals of the rally, the title holder dispensed some of his expertise.

Two days before the start of the Dakar, it is all well and good to have meticulously prepared physically, read up on everything about the world's biggest off-road race and listened as the months have passed to the advice of all those familiar to varying extents with the event, but nothing is worth the words of the four times winner and title holder when trying to put some order in all the priorities for a first participation. David Castera, the Dakar's Sporting Director, chaired this meeting, with the accent on safety: “This is the toughest race in the world, but also the one with the most safety measures”.

I hope to see you all in Buenos Aires... and I hope I'll be there too!

Marc Coma

Then it was turn for the leading Catalan that the Dakar has witnessed to distil several basic hints, insisting on attitude: “Don't focus on your time during the first days, but ride at your own pace and look to find your place in the standings”; “When your Sentinel warns you, don't hesitate to move aside and raise your hand when the bikes are sharing the routes with cars”; “Make sure you use your time sensibly when you arrive at the bivouac: eat, take a shower and prepare the road-book for the next day.

Don't waste time and especially your energy with Facebook and phone calls: the time and energy you save will be valuable during the second week”; “If you finish late or very late, your sole priority has to be the road-book, to make sure you are aware of the next stage's dangers”; “In general, don't drink too much at once, but drink often. If you start feeling thirsty, then it's too late”.

A dozen riders, including Britain's Christopher Cork, Argentinean Jorge Lacunza (the youngest competitor on the rally) or Chilean Paula Galvez applauded the KTM rider. “I hope to see you all in Buenos Aires,” concluded Coma, before adding, “and I hope I'll be there too!”

A.S.O. Dakar