On January 3, 2025, Ales Loprais embarked on his nineteenth Dakar Rally, representing the InstaForex Loprais Team De Rooy FPT with the new Iveco Powerstar truck. The team secured sixth place in the opening prologue, setting a steady pace for the competition ahead.
The 47th edition of the Dakar Rally kicked off with the traditional prologue near Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Though not contributing to the overall rankings, the prologue's results played a key role in determining the starting order for the first stage.
Loprais, alongside his co-driver David Kripal and on-board mechanic Darek Rodewald, faces stiff competition in the truck category, with 43 rivals vying for victory. The team approached the 29-kilometer prologue with care, finishing the segment in 18 minutes and 39 seconds. Their time placed them 36 seconds behind the category leader, Mitchel van den Brink, who delivered the fastest performance of the day.
"We’re glad to have this part over, as some sections of the track were heavily damaged," remarked co-driver David Kripal upon returning to the bivouac. "Our result could have been slightly better, but our starting position for tomorrow is still decent."
Despite being a newly formed team, the crew demonstrated strong coordination during the prologue."The truck is performing well, and the team is syncing nicely," said Kripal. "Our goal is to push hard tomorrow while avoiding unnecessary risks, especially this early in the rally. We're eagerly anticipating the challenge!"
The rally’s first full stage on January 4 will see competitors tackle a loop starting and ending in Bisha. This 413-kilometer route promises a mix of terrains, excluding sand but including rugged rocky passages and complex navigation challenges.
Historic debut for Loprais Tatra Team in Dakar Classic
For the first time, the Frenstat pod Radhostem-based Loprais Tatra Team is also participating in the Dakar Classic, a parallel event to the main rally. This competition focuses on historic vehicles and adheres to distinct rules, prioritizing navigation accuracy and regularity over speed.
Teams must complete a series of tests involving regularity, navigation, and dunes. The final ranking depends on penalty points accrued for errors during these tasks, with the lowest score determining the winner.
The Loprais Tatra Team has entered two iconic trucks for this year’s Dakar Classic. The trio of Igor Pazdera, Olga Lounová, and Milan Holan is driving a replica of the Tatra Puma, a vehicle with which Karel Loprais secured three victories and one runner-up finish at the Dakar around the turn of the millennium.
Meanwhile, Jiri Husek, Lubomir Dockal, and Dominik Holan are competing with a restored Tatra 815 4×4 HAS. This truck was instrumental in Karel Loprais’ success, securing two victories and one second-place finish in the 1990s.
"During the shakedown, the vehicle performed well, and I felt confident driving it," said Jiri Husek. "We’re excited about the competition. Our goal is to complete the stages safely and learn more about our standing after the first few legs.".
The Dakar Classic competitors also participated in the Friday prologue, which, like in the main event, only served to establish the starting positions for the following day’s stage.
