|
Bombardier
- DS 650 X |
Lausanne, Switzerland (1/16/06) –
After sixteen very long challenging days and more
than 9,000 kilometers from Lisbon, Portugal to Dakar,
Senegal, Spanish ATV rider Juan Manuel Gonzales,
also known as 'Pedregà', placed first in
the ATV category at the 28th edition of the Dakar
Rally. Frenchmen Antoine Morel, last year's Dakar
winner in the ATV category and his son Alan Morel
placed second and third respectively in the ATV
category.
Pedregà, who maintained the lead in the
ATV category from beginning to end, rode to victory
on a DS 650™ X ATV by BRP. Antoine and Alan
Morel, also riding DS 650 X ATVs, were in hot pursuit
of Pedregà as he raced ahead to Dakar.
Pedregà won 9 of the 13 stages of the rally
with 92 hours and 25 minutes, followed by Antoine
Morel with 96 hours and 28 minutes and Alain Morel
with 96 hours and 28 minutes. This outstanding performance
by all three Bombardier* ATV riders placed them
79th, 83rd and 85th in the overall classification
for motorcycles.
Antoine and Alan Morel, father and son, completed
most of the specials riding together as fast as
they could. once their closest competitors were
out of the race, their strategy was to make sure
to make it all the way to Dakar and assure a triple
podium finish for the Bombardier ATV team.
"I would like to congratulate the Bombardier
ATV team on this outstanding achievement. This is
the third consecutive victory for Bombardier ATV
at the Dakar Rally, but by far the most impressive!
This triple victory demonstrates the talent and
endurance of our ATV team who braved some of the
most challenging terrains, we are very proud of
their accomplishment," said Michel Hade, Vice-President
and General Manager, International Sales and Marketing.
The Bombardier ATV team was supported by a superb
assistance team of French and Spanish mechanics
that rode with them all the way to Dakar and made
sure the team members and their ATVs were in top
shape. The team's DS 650 X ATVs were virtually 'out-of-the-box'
with only a few minor modifications made.
"This victory would not have been possible
had it not been for the sturdiness and reliability
of my Bombardier ATV and the fantastic support team
we had. The organization was excellent and they
deserve to share in this victory along with us,''
declared Pedregà.
The two weeks of the race were particularly testing
for the Bombardier ATV team, with some stages totaling
more than 850 kilometers a day on extremely difficult
terrain, going from the wadis(steep-sided and flat-bottomed
alleys found in arid regions) of Morocco to the
dunes of Mauritania and the winding trails in Mali.
BRP, a privately-held company, is a world
leader in the design, development, manufacturing,
distribution and marketing of motorized recreational
vehicles. Its portfolio of brands and products includes:
Ski Doo® and Lynx™ snowmobiles, Sea Doo®
watercraft and sport boats, Johnson® and Evinrude®
outboard engines, direct injection technologies
such as Evinrude E TEC®, Bombardier* ATV all-terrain
vehicles, Rotax® engines and karts.