KTM on Saturday wrote another chapter in its history when the sports motorcycle market leaders celebrated taking its tenth consecutive Dakar Rally title. The race was won in heroic style by Marc Coma closely followed by Cyril Despres, who between them have taken the past six Dakar titles for the Austrian brand. The victory also heralded an aggressive new era for KTM in rally sport, according to company CEO Stefan Pierer.

Photo: KTM

The victory was also celebrated by the presence of Hubert Trunkenpolz, Head of Sales and Marketing for KTM who traveled from Sao Paolo Brazil, where the company has just opened its latest international subsidiary, to be in Buenos Aires to greet the two KTM riders. The 2011 Dakar, over 9500 grueling kilometers, was thrilling from the first to the final stage as the two KTM heroes battled it out for the top podium place. Coma and Despres have dominated rally sport in recent years and there has rarely been two riders who share such passion and skill when competing in the world's toughest rally. The company's success was further underlined by excellent performances by many other KTM riders who successfully competed in the 33rd edition of the Dakar Rally.

Following the tenth consecutive win for KTM, CEO Stefan Pierer announced that the company now intends to use the Dakar Rally as its major marketing platform as it enters a new and aggressive era of involvement in rally sport, including the development of the KTM 450 Rally bike in a production model.

KTM congratulates all riders who were courageous enough to tackle the Dakar, the rally that is at the very heart of this great sport

FINAL RESULTS DAKAR RALLY 2011 MOTORCYCLES:

1. Marc Coma, Spanien, KTM
2. Cyril Despres, Frankreich, KTM +15:04 min.
3. Helder Rodrigues, Portugal, Yamaha +1:40:20 h
4. Chaleco Lopez, Chile, Aprilia +2:09:45
5. Juan Pedrero, Spanien, KTM +3:07:03
6. Pal Anders Ullevalseter, Norwegen, KTM +3:32:56
7. Jean De Azevedo, Brasilien, KTM +3:59:38
8. Ruben Faria, Portugal, KTM +4:13:01
9. Quinn Cody, USA, Honda +4:52:10
10. Jacek Czachor, Polen, KTM +6:13:41
11. Henk Knuiman, Niederlande, KTM +6:26:46
12. Miran Stanovnik, Slowenien, KTM +6:31:49