Ales Loprais, David Kripal, and Darek Rodewald demonstrated outstanding performance in the demanding opening stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally. Representing the InstaSpot Loprais Team De Rooy FPT with their Iveco, the team claimed second place in the overall truck category standings.
The 2025 Dakar Rally began with a challenging loop stage starting and finishing in Bisha. Competitors navigated a 413-kilometer special stage featuring a mix of fast gravel roads, rugged mountain trails, and technical sections reminiscent of trial competitions. The route also passed through canyons and dry riverbeds, where branches in dense vegetation posed additional hazards to the vehicles.
“Today was a real test of endurance. The course was demanding, navigation was tricky, and the terrain pushed us to our limits. If any opening stage is to embody the true spirit of Dakar, it should look just like this,” said co-driver David Kripal, reflecting on the experience.
“The organizers designed a route that tore through vegetation, leaving vehicles heavily scratched. Early on, we likely broke our antenna on a branch,” added Kripal, shedding light on why the #601 Iveco ceased appearing in split times on the official Dakar Rally app.
“This was one of the most diverse stages I’ve ever encountered. There were trees, jumps, holes, complex navigation, and relentless dust,” confirmed Ales Loprais. “For nearly 50 minutes, we drove in the dust cloud of a buggy, which was nerve-wracking. But I’m sure many other competitors had their own share of challenges. Overall, our result is solid, especially considering we had to overtake numerous vehicles, including several trucks,” remarked Loprais, now trailing the leader, Mitchel van den Brink, by just one minute and 40 seconds in the overall rankings.
48H Chrono Stage: a unique challenge
The Dakar Rally 2025 continues on Sunday, January 5th, and Monday, January 6th, with the 48H Chrono Stage. This endurance feature, introduced in 2024, spans two days. Competitors will tackle the stage in two segments, spending the night in one of six designated Break Zones. These basic bivouacs offer only minimal comforts: a tent, an inflatable mattress, a sleeping bag, drinking water, and a modest meal package. Participants must adapt without showers, toilets, or communication with the outside world, relying solely on fellow competitors for updates.
The 971-kilometer special stage stretches north of Bisha and boasts diverse terrain. Among other features, drivers will face over 100 kilometers of dunes each day, testing both skill and endurance.
Loprais Tatra Team shines in Dakar Classic
On January 4th, the Dakar Classic, held parallel to the main rally, also commenced with a 384-kilometer loop stage. Participants tackled four Regularity Tests and one Navigation Test, showcasing their precision, strategy, and stamina.
Regularity Tests require maintaining set average speeds and adhering to ideal times throughout the route. Precise navigation plays a critical role, as every deviation leads to detours and penalties for late or early arrivals at checkpoints. Similarly, Navigation Tests challenge participants to follow the official itinerary closely, validate waypoints, and minimize excess kilometers within allocated times. Penalties are issued for every 100 meters of excess travel or for exceeding time limits.
Both Loprais Tatra Team crews successfully overcame the challenges of the opening stage and returned to the bivouac in good shape.
“Today’s terrain was incredibly varied. We encountered rocks, mountains, soft sand, winding paths, and wide-open plains. At times, our speed was limited to 30 km/h, while on other stretches, we reached 120 km/h in our Tatra trucks. Physically and mentally, we feel great, and the vehicles are performing well. At one point, the Puma started leaking, but it resolved itself without intervention,” said Jiri Husek, driver of the Tatra 815 4×4 HAS.
Husek, along with Lubomír Dockal and Dominik Holan, currently holds 5th place in the H2 Truck group standings. Meanwhile, Igor Pazdera, Olga Lounová, and Milan Holan occupy 6th place with their Tatra 815-2 “Puma.”
Marathon stage ahead
Over the next two days, Dakar Classic participants will also face the marathon stage. After Sunday’s segment, vehicles will be placed in parc fermé for the night, prohibiting any external assistance. Competitors will return to the bivouac in Bisha on Monday after the second part of the stage.
The combination of challenging terrain, strict timekeeping, and limited resources promises to make this marathon stage a defining moment for all participants. As the competition intensifies, teams will need to rely on resilience, teamwork, and ingenuity to secure their places in the standings.
