HRC ready to rock on cusp of Dakar 2025 getting un...

Dakar 2025

A brand new 12 months heralds the beginning of the 2025 World Rally Raid Championship with the exceptional Dakar Rally kicking off the arduous and hard 5 spherical season for Monster Power Honda HRC.

Again in Saudi Arabia for the sixth time, the Dakar will run from January 3 to 17, protecting an unbelievable whole of seven,805 kilometres, together with the toughest 5,209 kilometres of particular phases towards the clock that may stand between the riders and the highest step of the rostrum as they make their method from Bisha to Shubaytah.

From the outset, the 48 Hour Chrono which first pushed opponents to their limits in 2024 returns with a ‘bang’ early on within the 2025 Dakar, with opponents tackling one enormous stage over two days and 1,057 km that may embody sleeping an evening underneath the celebs, no staff help in a single day and easy meals rations. This 48 Hour Chrono stage really embodies the early days of the Dakar in Africa in an effort to take a look at their resilience early on, earlier than an epic marathon stage upon their return to the bivouac.

With the epic Empty Quarter dunes to deal with through the rally, on the ultimate day of motion there will likely be a mass begin, harking back to the Lac Rose stage within the Paris Dakar, which won’t solely be spectacular however will present a ultimate showdown like no different because the scramble for the enduring Bedouin trophy involves its conclusion.

Ruben Faria – Monster Power Honda HRC Common Supervisor

“We’re already in Saudi Arabia prepared for the small shakedown. I’m very pleased with the entire staff, the riders are properly ready, Ricky is recovered as is Skyler. It’s at all times troublesome to reach to the Dakar with all of the riders in good situation however they’re again to full health so I’m very pleased. It will likely be one other troublesome Dakar, having the 48 Hour Chrono on the second and third day, with greater than 900km of particular stage, will likely be very robust from the beginning. Additionally with the marathon stage following straight after, which has by no means occurred earlier than, it is going to be a problem for the staff, riders and bikes. We’re ready although as we work all 12 months prepared for these type of situations so it’ll undoubtedly be a difficult first week. After the remainder day we head in the direction of the Empty Quarter, there’ll be a few simpler phases however as soon as we’ve entered that space it is going to be demanding, not like the primary week, however differently for the manufacturing unit riders and I believe the primary week will possible be extra strategic than the second. The Dakar may be misplaced simply, so we have to get to the end at Shubaytah by taking it daily, with the riders remaining calm, sturdy and sensible, which is the important thing to this rally, as many issues can occur for everyone through the course of this occasion. We’ve got a robust staff who’re able to combat for the epic problem of the 2025 Dakar Rally.”

Monster Power Honda HRC will subject 5 riders aboard the Honda CRF450 RALLY together with defending champion Ricky Brabec who will likely be on the hunt for a 3rd victory on the world’s hardest rally. Preventing to be match after a fall final day trip on the season ending Rallye Du Maroc, the skilled American has been placing within the hours to ensure he’s in prime type when he rolls as much as the beginning line.

Ricky Brabec

“It’s been a sluggish begin for making ready for this Dakar after an harm early on within the Rallye du Maroc, which put a slight dampener on my coaching programme. I suffered with a tibia plateau fracture in order that put me behind just a few weeks, the docs although took nice care of me and received me again on observe. During the last 5 weeks I’ve been busy doing highway books and driving enduro model single tracks right here at residence and I really feel as prepared as I may be. I’m excited to be heading again to Dakar with the staff and on the lookout for the very best consequence potential, all of us wish to win and that’s what we combat for on a regular basis.”

He will likely be joined by the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship runner up, Adrien Van Beveren, who stood on the Dakar Rally podium in 2024 with a 3rd place end. Heading into his tenth Dakar, the 2024 48 Hour Chrono stage victor is aiming to cross the road at Shubaytah because the quickest rider and write his title within the historical past books alongside fellow French Honda riders Cyril Neveu and Gilles Lalay.

Adrien Van Beveren

“My preparation for the Dakar has been wonderful. I really feel extra skilled and able to appropriate the errors I made in earlier years, however I’m additionally absolutely conscious that this will likely be a really difficult and lengthy race. I’ve labored on the psychological aspect of it, to take it daily and keep calm through the robust moments which are positive to return. I really feel sturdy and able to put up an excellent combat, identical to my teammates and coaching with them all year long has made us stronger as a staff. The bike is in excellent situation for this Dakar, we’ve put a whole lot of work into it and I’m very pleased with the Honda CRF450 RALLY. For the reason that 2024 Dakar ended, I’ve been making ready for this one. I made it to the rostrum final day trip, however I would like extra.”

Tosha Schareina, the prologue king of the 2024 season, will likely be seeking to convert his velocity to a consequence the Spaniard is aware of he has inside him. Dakar final 12 months was merciless to Schareina after he crashed out early on however placing that disappointment behind him, he then went on to win the BP Final Rally-Raid Portugal, the Rallye Du Maroc and was runner up on the Desafío Ruta 40. These outcomes put him within the prime three of the World Rally-Raid Championship in his first full season.

Tosha Schareina

“The Dakar is the race we’re ready for and I’m actually wanting ahead to it after an excellent season. I’ve been in a position to win all of the prologues in 2024 with victories, podiums in all of the races and a 3rd within the championship regardless of not scoring in two World Rally-Raid Championship races. It’s been an excellent 12 months and I’m wanting ahead to creating up for final 12 months’s crash on the primary stage, which is a part of the sport. I’ve an excellent staff round me and an excellent bike and that’s what drives me to present 200%.”

Additionally competing in his second Dakar Rally with Monster Power Honda HRC, Skyler Howes is now again to full health after selecting up an harm again in the summertime, which dominated him out of the ultimate spherical of the 2024 season in Morocco. Again for his seventh try on Dakar, the American is not any stranger to the rostrum having grabbed the ultimate spot in 2023 after main for six days, so he’ll wish to be again amongst the frontrunners in Saudi Arabia.

Skyler Howes

“My preparations main as much as the Dakar have been actually actually sturdy, I’ve executed a whole lot of highway e book and rally bike coaching and as well as I’ve spent some appreciable time with my coach, doing biking and gymnasium work. For me it’s most essential to get again into the form I used to be in earlier than my accident within the Vegas to Reno race after which get higher from there. I do know that Dakar this 12 months goes to be fairly troublesome, at the beginning of the rally we’ve a protracted stage which takes us instantly into the 48 Hour Chrono stage, I believe the navigation will likely be far more difficult than within the Empty Quarter, so I reckon the primary week isn’t going to be really easy. It’ll be arduous on the physique and the thoughts so I’m wanting ahead to this problem though I believe it’ll be much more about technique this 12 months.”

It’ll be Dakar Rally quantity 13 for veteran Pablo Quintanilla who regardless of ending runner up twice in 2020 and 2022 has by no means taken the coveted prime prize. The 38-year-old two-time World Cross Nation Rally title winner is essentially the most skilled rider within the Rally GP class and will likely be seeking to bounce again from a disappointing 2024 season.

Pablo Quintanilla

“I’ve completed my preparation for Dakar, it was a protracted one however an excellent good one. I began instantly after the Rallye Du Maroc with my coaching programme and through this time I used to be focussed on doing as a lot kilometres as potential within the desert, so actually I really feel superb with a whole lot of confidence on the bike and with the navigation too. I’m assured I can do an excellent race, tremendous motivated to be a part of this large race once more and my objective is to experience for the victory.”

The staff will converge at Bisha within the South Western a part of Saudi Arabia for the beginning of this 12 months’s forty seventh version of the Dakar Rally the place the route will take them throughout essentially the most spectacular and at instances most difficult landscapes on this planet of sport, not to mention within the World Rally-Raid Championship. They’ll deal with colossal dunes, searing warmth, freezing chilly, enormous rocks and exhausting days as they make their method North to AlUla earlier than heading East in the direction of the huge dunes and the end line at Shubaytah.

The Monster Power Honda HRC riders will likely be prepared for the opening Prologue on Friday, January 3, the place the primary 29 kilometres of timed motion awaits.

2025 Dakar Rally Route/Schedule