Breaking news Kurt Caselli will substitute for Marc Coma in 2013 Dakar?!

Fair enough, I am sure that the ASO treated Johnny probably more favorably that they will Kurt. I believe that Jonah was seeded 42 the first year... May be a better predictor of Kurt position.... Now the fact that he is supported by the KTM factory may make a difference though.

Piloto Gringo

MOTORSPORT
Dakar 2013: The American Kurt Caselli replace Marc Coma on KTM
TAGS: DAKAR , DAKAR 2013 , JOAN PEDRERO , KTM , KTM USA , KURT CASELLI , MARC COMA , MRW KTM TEAM
December 23, 2012 by Philip Win - (0) comments

IVAN RAMIREZ AND KURT CASELLI (RIGHT) ENDED SECOND IN THE BAJA 1000 2012 IN CALIFORNIA. (PICTURE: RED BULL CONTENT POOL / MAURICIO RAMOS)

This is a criminal nonkicking Caselli it gets on the bike and is fast. The American rider Kurt Caselli take the motorcycle has vacated Marc Coma in the official team KTM for the Dakar 2013. Coma announced on Friday it would not run the Dakar, after failing to optimal recovery of a right shoulder injury suffered in an accident at the Rally of Morocco , two months ago. Caselli is an experienced enduro rider, who won the AMA National Hare and Hound in America and his latest success was a second place in the Baja 1000 this season, along with Ivan Ramirez . Caselli's official test driver KTM USA , division of the Dutch brand gringa and that earned him a promotion to one of the best bikes in the Dakar. Anyway, Caselli comes exclusively to experience and do not fight for the race, so if I had been a pilot as Marc Coma : The sub-team leader MRW KTM will Joan Pedrero , who in the last two years was the Coma backpacker in Dakar.

"Caselli will use the same bike as Marc, will gain experience and enjoy this adventure that is the Dakar, without pressure," said Alex Doringer , KTM team manager in Dakar, which also integrates the motorcycles that will drive the defending champion Cyril Despres and backpacking Ruben Faria .

Meanwhile, Caselli was thrilled with KTM's decision to include it in the best team in the world cross country rally: "It has always been a goal of my career racing in the Dakar. There would be no possible way for me to accomplish this without the support of KTM. Being able to run off-road competition in the world over the top of the best bike in the world is truly a blessing. Not only is a milestone in my career but in my life. " KTM has won the last 11 editions of the Dakar, which included an unbeaten in South America, where only Despres and Coma have achieved victories.


MARC COMA AND CYRIL DESPRES, THE ONLY TWO DRIVERS TO WIN THE DAKAR IN SOUTH AMERICA ON MOTORCYCLES. BOTH RUN FOR KTM, BUT ONLY YOU CAN DEFEND THE HEGEMONY DESPRES (PICTURE: RED BULL MEDIA HOUSE)

Besides the four official bikes, KTM has a very interesting candidate in the private motorcycle acquired by Francisco "Chaleco" Lopez and will be serviced by the Honda Racing XC Tamarugal .

What can she do Caselli? Probably fight for a place in the Top 10. Without Quinn Cody , still injured by several crashes including those suffered in the Dakar 2012 , Caselli will be the most important American pilot in the bike category. Definitely, the choice of pilot gringo collects much more in the world of marketing, as the curriculum Caselli not seem to be enough to get him on the bike Number 1 in Dakar. KTM has all the interest of a better position in the United States and its largest investment in motorsport, the Dakar. Let's see how it goes.

http://www.racing5.cl/2012/12/dakar...-kurt-caselli-reemplazara-a-marc-coma-en-ktm/

semi controversial champion, still the champion though.


http://www.dirtrider.com/features/n...ed-bull-ditd-the-weekly-dirt-october-31-2012/

Not too much said about Quinn this year, ok he has had it rough since his crash last year and his move to KTM, but there has been no discussion about no KTM Dakar option, but one with Speedbrain instead!? :eek1

A question Will, or anyone with local knowledge - how much real dune riding is there on Hare and Hounds?

I mean mile after mile of soft stuff with 200 hundred foot + high dunes that need to be ridden fast with skill and knowledge of the best way to negotiate the terrain?

I think this could be the real test for Caselli?

Oh and not to forget the navigation of course

Dave Pearson broke the rules and fueled himself riding through the pits with the gas can blaming it on the dry break being stuck.. we have to pit on a mat.. a simple rule to keep our desert clean and the BLM nerds happy.

An interiview with KC via Redbull:

http://www.redbull.com/en/motorspor...580285083/at-dakar-the-riding-s-the-easy-part

From KTM Racing's facebook:

"KTM's Kurt Caselli (USA) doing a great job in Stage 6 of the Dakar 2013"

Caselli is looking real solid and moving up in the standings. He's looking like a real future contender to win this some year. Must be nice to have the KTM factory team behind him.

i agree ehkboom

Congrats on winning the stage today and moving solidly into the top ten. He'll win again before this is over. Just getting the hang of this type of racing.

Enjoy the video riding along with Caselli at one of the Utah rounds for the 2012 Hare-Hound. BTW the goofball with Blue Hair is big Jonnny Jonson, a slacker running the over 50 B class. Jonny's a good guy, but goofy. Caselli is FAST riding in an area that is NOT his back yard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMUtZJoZts0

Just watched the coverage from yesterday... Kurt seems like a genuinely nice guy... good to see him do well.

Looks like the neutralization of todays stage may have saved Kurt's ass after getting lost and coming in 57th place. Lucky boy to hold onto 11th overall.

Great to see our US rider doing well. But what happened today (stage 8)? The dakar web site shows Caselli dead last for the stage, with a 3:20:00 penalty??

First time he had to open a stage, navigating with no tracks to follow. There was a news blurb on dakar.com early in the stage that he went off track and "probably missed several waypoints".

The live tracker only showed him missing the first of three waypoints, but these are virtual waypoints in the public tracking. The roadbook has many more WPs and there are hard penalties for missing them.

Not sure if you have seen the interview on Spanish TV with Coma about Caselli:

http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/dakar/rally-dakar-2013-etapa-7-calama-salta-11-01-13/1659910/

It's a great programme, but if your Spanish isn't up to it, FF to 29:30 ish.

What an opportunity; Coma's bike AND nav lessons from him.

Nice clip.

"I think maybe I'll have to look one more time"

bummer.

Not so fast.. reversal ??

Hopefully this is not 205

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