- Ashish Raorane to compete in Malle Moto class of Dakar 2021
- First Indian privateer to be a part of this class
- Will compete astride the KTM Rally Replica
India’s privateer rally rider, Ashish Raorane, will be competing in the 2021 edition of the world’s most gruelling rally raid, the Dakar. What’s further commendable is that Ashish will be a part of the Malle Moto category which makes him the first ever Indian privateer to do so.
The Dakar 2021 will be held across Saudi Arabia and will comprise of as treacherous of terrains as every year. However, what makes it tougher for those riding in the Malle Moto class is that they aren’t allowed to receive any type of assistance from anyone during the rally. All the maintenance-related work of the motorcycle needs to be taken care of by the rider himself. Notably, all the essentials such as a trunk, sleeping tent, travel bag and one set of wheels and tyres are all provided by the organisers of Dakar.
Ashish Raorane has been competing on bikes rented from race teams. However, since he didn’t find those motorcycles appropriate for Dakar, he decided to invest in a motorcycle and opted for the KTM Rally Replica. Nonetheless, he hasn’t been able to ride the bike yet as it’s been stuck in Spain owing to the worldwide lockdown.
Ashish’s performance in the 2019 Baja World Championship and Africa Eco Race 2020 has been fundamental in his selection in the Dakar 2021. The 14-day competition will be held in Saudi Arabia for the second time, scheduled to take place from 3-15 January 2021.
