Name: Ruben Faria
Date of Birth: July 30, 1974
Nationality: Portuguese
Machine: KTM 450 Rally
Debut: 2006: Lisbon (Portugal) to Dakar (Senegal). Finished 35th
Best Dakar: 2011: 8th place
2012 Dakar Number: #8
Ruben entered his first Dakar when the desert classic came to his native Portugal in 2006. Ruben impressed the home crowd and the other bikers with a stage win early in the race.
When Ruben was struggling to raise funds to enter the 2010 Dakar, it was Cyril Despres who offered him the job of support rider.
Even though the call came just two months before the start of the race Ruben jumped at the chance to compete. Ruben paid Cyril back by helping him towards his third Dakar crown in 2010. It was a double celebration at the finish line in Buenos Aires as Cyril popped the champagne after an overall victory and Ruben toasted winning the final stage.
Ruben’s reliable and controlled driving style allows him to stay close to Cyril during each stage of the Dakar. While helping Cyril remains Ruben’s number one priority the Portuguese biker will also be out to improve on last year’s eighth -place finish.
Fast Fact: Ruben suffered three broken ribs when he crashed during the 2011 Portuguese Enduro Championships. The accident threatened to keep him out of the 2012 Dakar, but he battled back to take his place in the race.
Best quote: “It’s a shame Cyril didn’t get the win last year, but nobody wins all the time. We will be doing everything to make sure this is his year again. When he wins, so do I, so I take my role very seriously. I also have my own ambitions and I know that if I ride with Cyril all the way I have a chance to finish in the top five.” Ruben on his realistic ambitions
Marcelo Maragni/Red Bull Content Pool
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