Name: Jakub Przygonski
Date of Birth: March 24, 1985
Nationality: Polish
Machine: KTM 450 Rally Replica
Debut: 2009 Buenos Aires (Argentina) to Buenos Aires. Finished 11th
Best Dakar: Eighth place finish in 2010
2012 Dakar Number: #11
Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przygonski got the need for speed when he sat on his first bike, a bright green Kawasaki KX80. But the Polish biker knows it’s not just the power in the engine that helps you compete, you also need to be in great physical shape. As a kid he used to spend hours at his local swimming pool in Warsaw and his dedication to training is helping him towards his Dakar dream.
Another key factor in making Kuba such a threat to the Dakar leaderboard is his intuitive knowledge of his machine. His degree in mechanical engineering is a major weapon when it comes to tackling the desert classic.
An impressive debut in 2009 saw Kuba finish 11th and he followed it up the next year with an eighth placed finish. A late injury prevented the Pole from competing in last year’s Dakar and he’s determined to make up for that absence this time around.
Kuba recently took second place in the FIM World Cross Country Championships where he finished above Marc Coma. Results like this have seen Kuba emerge as a force to be reckoned with ahead of the 2012 Dakar Rally
Fast Fact: As if Euduro biking did not provide enough thrills for Kuba he also has a number of other high-octane interests. Kuba takes part in the Polish Drift Racing Championships and recently perfected the art of parachuting out of aeroplanes.
On the attack: “Last year I was injured so I followed the race as a journalist and it was good to get a different view of the Dakar. Right now I’m trying to define my goals for the 2012 Dakar. I want to be beat my personal best of eighth place so I’m thinking top five would be good. I would put myself in that group of riders behind Despres and Coma because I still don’t have the experience of those guys. That’s not to say that I can’t win the Dakar someday in the future!”
© Team Orlen / Red Bull Content Pool
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