Cyril Despres

by RedBull.com, Dec 1, 2010

Name: Cyril Despres
Date of Birth: January 24 1974
Nationality: French
Machine: KTM 450 Rally
Debut: 2000 Dakar (Senegal) to Cairo (Egypt). Finished 16th
Best Dakar: Three-time champion (2005, 2007, 2010)
2012 Dakar Number: #2

Unlike many of the Dakar champions that have come before him, Cyril didn't grow up in a family with an established love of motorsport. Cyril’s inspiration came instead from watching a friend riding in motocross competitions.

Once Cyril caught the biking bug, he soon set his sights on the ultimate challenge, the Dakar Rally. Through sheer determination Cyril got himself to the start line of the first Dakar of the new millennium. An impressive 16th place finish saw him rewarded with a contract to race for BMW.

Cyril enhanced his reputation as a star of the future in the next few editions of the Dakar as he started to win stages and got himself onto the podium. In 2005, now riding with KTM, Cyril won his first Dakar Rally. The fact Cyril only won two stages on the route between Barcelona and Dakar demonstrates the Frenchman’s intuitive knowledge of the tactical side of the race.

In 2007 Cyril won the last Dakar Rally to be staged in Africa and he also tasted success in South America with his 2010 title. Cyril’s natural charisma sees race fans get behind him wherever he goes in the world.

Fast Fact: When Cyril needed to raise money to compete in his first Dakar Rally he came up with a bright idea. With his friend Michel Gau he sold special Dakar wine around France with a unique label that showed a map of the race route.

Line in the sand: “This year I’ve totally changed my way of preparing for the Dakar. I skipped the traditional rally raids because I wanted to experience different terrains. I enjoyed breaking my old routine and adapting to different environments. I spent an intense week in Brazil at the Rally dos Sertões where I raced neck and neck with Felipe Zanol. I haven’t been around many of the other Dakar riders this year so I’m looking forward to catching up with all the guys again.”