Dopo la conferenza stampa di Parigi di mercoledì è arrivato il colpo di scena che ci si attendeva. In quell’occasione Aso aveva annunciato che nella prossima Dakar avrebbero accettato solo moto di cilindrata non superiore a 450 cc e ora Ktm risponde all’annuncio. Ecco la frase di Aso, riportata integrale : “On two wheels the measure was expected by many for a long time, indeed only bikes with engines of under 450cc will be accepted on the race for 2011. For 2010, an adjustment is kept for the amateurs owning 660cc allowing them to compete with a bridle. The professionals will compete on 450cc as soon as the next Dakar.”

Ed ecco la risposta della Casa austriaca annunciata stampattina attraverso Heinz Kinigadner “”Every sport regulation needs changes and adjustments to new developments to retain an interest in it, but this also require the appropriate lead times. We have the entire material for the 690 Rally motorcycles for our factory team as well as that for 50 customers’ motorcycles in our storage facility ready to be constructed in June. Riders’ contracts have been finalised and all the team members have been engaged. The financial consequences that results from this decision are enormous. Quite apart from this, we are shocked by the organiser’s lack of loyalty, above all because of the huge efforts we made following the cancellation of the Dakar in 2008 by contributing to the new edition – even during a period of extreme economic crisis,” said KTM Motor Sport Advisor and “Rally Legend” Heinz Kinigadner in a first statement.

Following the decision for the deployment of 450cc motorcycles, which are unthinkably unsuitable for use in long distance rallies, KTM can no longer economically justify a commitment to be engaged in the Dakar in the future. KTM Motor Sport Director Winfried Kerschhaggl: “Rally sport serves to prove the efficiency and stability of our large volume series single cylinder. There is no question that we will remain active in rally sport! Having said that, for KTM, the rally in South America is now history. We will now fully concentrate on the Rally World Championship and we will seek out alternatives. Maybe we will soon again see full KTM Rally engagement on African soil – back to the roots!”

E così comincia la battaglia ! Si potrebbe dire che Aso ne ha fatta un’altra delle sue, vediamo ora cosa accadrà nei prossimi giorni. Di certo questa decisione potrebbe servire su un piatto d’argento una serie di iscrizioni all’Africa Race, la nuova Dakar africana di Renè Metge e Jean Louis Schlesser: gara che coinvolge anche Hubert Auriol e che ha aperto le sue iscrizioni proprio nei giorni scorsi (www.africarace.com).

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