Dakar Motorcycle Racers Must Pass Test To Compete |
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File under Dakar Race
Author: Mike Werner
Location: Normandy, France
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After the fatality in this year's Dakar race in South America, where Pascal Terry died en-route, ASO  , the Dakar organizers have decided to make the motorcycle contestants pass a "strict exam".
Despite being billed as a safe race, ASO do not want to take any chances with the private entries.
No further details have been published what the test will entail, but since the race is very difficult, I'm quite sure that it's not going to be easy. The bikers will need to prove their ability. One way is participating in a championship organized by the FIM , or have participated in a Dakar Series race.
Comment:
It's true, that often you wonder what some riders are doing in the race. When covering the event in 2005, 1 person dropped out during the prologue, consisting of one round on the beach of Barcelona. Many others stop after a day or two, unable to take the easy tracks before they hit Africa.
But now several questions arise in my mind. Do the contestants still have to pay their fees before being tested? Or is this a way of getting more people to race in the Dakar series (and therefore more money to ASO)? Or are they going to try to weed out private entries, so that only pros and serious amateurs will compete.
That would be a pity, since the Dakar was created to give amateurs the chance of racing in Africa, but it's a big buck business now.
On top of that, Pascal Terry died because the organizers screwed up in their rescue attempt. He was very much alive, but sick.
Let's see what the conditions are and what the exams are all about.
Via: RAC
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