Marc Coma, From Winning The Dakar To Organizing It
Marc Coma has achieved glory no less than five times in the Dakar Motorcycle Rally. And it is that champion was erected in the editions of 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2015; so few know more than he does about what is considered the toughest automobile event in the world.
That is why he has earned great recognition in this sporting modality, and for two years he has been contributing all his knowledge as sports director of the Dakar.
On January 6, a new edition will begin –the Dakar 2018– that will leave the city of Lima. The test will have a new layout that, according to the Catalan rider, brings together all the ingredients to become an exciting race. It is not another season, as the Dakar is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and they want to celebrate it with a memorable test.
Thus, it will end on January 20 in the Argentine city of Córdoba, while the rest day will be, according to planning, on January 12 in La Paz, Bolivia.
Marc Coma, philosophy of a winner
Marc Coma assures that this year has been different from the other two in his position as director, and it is that he monopolized much more responsibility for being the 40th anniversary of the test and the 10th celebration of the test in South America.
“I am very happy with the work done,” he asserted in reference to the search for the perfect route for the test, to add below: “The combination of Peru, Bolivia and Argentina makes us think that it will be a historic and magical Dakar at the same time. ”.
Regarding how the preparation of the Dakar route is carried out, the Catalan rider comments that with countries like Argentina it is much easier, since the test has already been contested in previous editions and, therefore, the terrain is well known. On the other hand, other routes such as Peru, unpublished in the category, assures that they have been a “challenge”.
Peru, land of dunes
“It’s going to be a fantastic route,” explained Marc Coma about the start of the 2018 Dakar, with a first week that includes many dunes and spectacular landscapes. In this sense, teams must be cautious, as they must be very vigilant so as not to start off on the wrong foot.
Navigation was the main aid included in last year’s test. This season, and seeing the good results obtained, it is time to consolidate it as a decisive element in the Dakar, and more so with the start of the incoming race, without defined roads and a lot of desert.
Challenges of the Dakar 2018, will it be harder than the previous edition?
The five-time champion of the event affirms that this next Dakar could be divided into several blocks: “The first week will take place in the sand of Peru, the second in the Bolivian highlands and the third in Argentina, with the most mythical places of this decade in South America ”.
Coma emphasizes that it is difficult to assess the difficulty of the route. This depends on the weather, heat, sandstorms, etc. “Yes, it is going to be a difficult and very tough Dakar, although in the end this is subjective, so I can’t say more,” he said.
Preparing for adverse weather
Last year the El Niño weather phenomenon caused major floods and setbacks, with the consequent cancellations. Marc Coma, assured that this year the route has been better selected to avoid such circumstances as much as possible.
“We are prepared for normal rain conditions,” he commented, so if they go beyond that, the development of the test will be affected. As things are, he is confident that this year the complete route can be completed without major shocks.
Electric cars at the Dakar
In the last Dakar, an electric vehicle participated for the first time and finished the test successfully. “The Dakar cannot turn its back on teams with electric technology,” confessed the race director. In fact, it is a very important test worldwide, where this type of vehicle can demonstrate its reliability.
On the other hand, it is rumored that this Dakar 2018 could be the last one that the French brand Peugeot disputes in the medium term. Marc comments that it is normal for brands to enter and exit the test: “When a firm has achieved the victories they had in their business plan, it is normal for them to go looking for other objectives.”
A decade already in South America
The taboo question of this Dakar, with a decade completed in South America, is the following: Will this edition be the last in this continent to return to Africa? Marc Coma was in total disagreement on this question. “The conditions in Africa are not safe enough, geopolitically speaking”, he needs to add immediately that South America still has a lot to offer.
Nostalgia to compete?
As for the bug of putting the gloves back on, the former Spanish driver left no room for doubt. “The truth is, no; I think it is a closed stage in my life ”, he confirmed flatly. It should be noted that Marc Coma has tested the two- and four-wheel mounts, since despite being a motorcycle specialist, he was not left with the thorn of driving a car in the Dakar.
However, he now focuses his strength and energy on this new organizing task. “I feel lucky and try to contribute everything I can on the sports side, so I am very happy developing this role.”
When he got to the position of sports director of the Dakar, what caught his attention the most was the enormous organization behind the event. Obviously, there are issues that one does not know and can ignore; and in these terms Coma was expressed. “When you are inside, you really see the magnitude of this organization, all the work behind it that makes the Dakar possible,” he concluded.
