Ambassadors Bless Buggyras. Dakar Can Start!

New broom sweeps well On New Year´s Eve the second half of the team together with the crews of Martin Kolomý and Jaroslav Valtr arrived at the venue of the race. From early morning of the New Year´s Day preparation for administrative and technical takeovers was commenced. “A substantial part of the formalities already took place before embarking in the harbour of Le Havre, but despite that the preparations continued for the whole day and night yesterday. We only noticed the beginning of the New Year thanks to the fireworks starting grand celebrations of the local aborigines here in Tecnopolis,“ was the team manager Jan Kalivoda´s description of the arrival at the venue of the hardest race of the world. Before the administrative part a heavy downpour foreshadowed a hot day in which all was settled in the its first half. The biggest Czech team in history passed all inspections without the slightest hesitation. “We knew the inspections would be more stringent this year for our old friend Fabien Calvet was replaced with young blood. But we were prepared well and so we did not encounter any problem at all. Only we are more numerous this year so all took a little longer than last year. But we are ready now and that matters most,“ was the comment of the development manager Robin Dolejš.

Ambassadors blessed Buggyras When all racing specials received the “go ahead” and were locked in Parc fermé before the start of tomorrow´s Prologue the background of the Czech team was visited by the representatives of the Czech Republic in Argentina and Armenia. The ambassadors Petr Kopřiva and Petr Mikyska brought even more positive atmosphere to the team background and even tasted Kolomý´s famous sausages. “Mr. Kopřiva came to support us last year too and the result was the seventh overall rank. This year he arrived in pair and so I believe the final rank will be even better,” commented on the ambassadorial visit Martin Kolomý with his typical smile. His team colleague Jaroslav Valtr only laconically noted “I wish it already started”. Podium and millions of fans On Saturday the racing specials will first take part in the ceremonial opening of the race and then the first measured section will take place, only 11 km long for the start. “My first Dakar experience was the starting ceremony in 2009. Millions of people all around wanting to greet the racing pilots, wish them good luck, touch the crews or be photographed with them. It was a little tiring but incredibly beautiful and charging us with energy. Fantastic experience!“ remembered Tomáš Ouředníček. The organizers expect the route to be again lined with thousands of fans and so the race will be absolutely “live” from the very beginning.