Yamaha Team Up with Frans Verhoeven for the Dakar Challenge 02:44PM Thu, 6th September 2012 Tweet Tags: cyril neveu eighth place endurance rider essential ingredients europe racing four wheels frans mechanic paris dakar rally peterhansel podiums quad bike road motorcycle race rodrigues south america team owner yamaha 450 yamaha motor europe yamaha motor france yamaha xt 500 Tweet Posted by: Ray Chuss Online Content Editor and Photographer ray@motomagazine.co.uk ray@motomagazine.co.uk Google Plus Yamaha Team Up with Frans Verhoeven for the Dakar Challenge 0.00 / 5 5 1 / 5 2 / 5 3 / 5 4 / 5 5 / 5 0 votes, 0.00 avg. rating (0% score) Logging In... Comments cancel Sign in with Twitter Sign in with Facebook or Name EmailNot published Website Comment Related Popular First showing for Honda’s Dakar challenger 03/10/2012 Honda say goodbye to Rui Goncalves 25/09/2012 Belgian champion De Dycker previews De Dycker 21/09/2012 Confirmed: Van Horebeek to Kawasaki 20/09/2012 Where to race this weekend – UK club info for May 4th/5th/6th 02/05/2013 | 4 comments Bikes stolen from GT Cup Brookthorpe paddock 27/04/2013 | 4 comments Max Anstie jets from California to Brazil for this weekends GP 16/05/2013 | 4 comments Watch the Las Vegas Supercross Press Conference LIVE on MOTO 03/05/2013 | 2 comments Previous Story Thousands raised by CJMXC Next Story Clement Desalle still not 100% for Faenza
 1995, 1997 and 1998. The move to South America over the last four years has also delivered success including Hélder Rodrigues winning 2 stages and finishing third in last years Dakar, and on four wheels with Yamaha taking victory in the special quad bike category. </p>
<p>Verhoeven entered his first Dakar in 2005 and achieved his best result in 2009 with an eighth place finish. The Dutch endurance rider has claimed three stage victories and recorded two top three stage finishes in 2012. </p>
<p>“We are confident that our goal is realistic and can be achieved,” commented Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Manager Laurens Klein Koerkamp. “The Dakar is the toughest off road motorcycle race in the world, we want to enter and compete with the best and its fantastic that with joined efforts of several organizations within the Yamaha group we have been able to make this happen. The experience and ability of Frans are essential ingredients to this project. .’’ </p>
<p>“I believe this combination has real winning potential,“ said Yamaha Motor Netherlands President Arno Sunnotel. “The Dakar is a key event for Yamaha and the ultimate test for our 450 machine. For our market it’s also great to have a Dutch rider in the highest ranks of the competition.” </p>
<p>“I have proved I can win stages and I could have been in the top five on several occasions if it had not been for bad luck and mechanical issues,” commented Frans Verhoeven. “Now with the reliability and speed of the Yamaha 450 I believe we can finally show our true potential.” </p>
<p>The 2013 Dakar Rally will start on the 5th January in Lima, Peru. Competitors will face over 8000km of desert and unforgiving countryside as they pass through Peru, Argentina and finally down to Santiago in Chile to the finish line on 20th January 2013.</p>
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