MULTINATIONAL ENERGY COMPANY HIMOINSA ANNOUNCES ITS ARRIVAL AT DAKAR 2015 WITH ITS OWN TEAM

RIDERS MIGUEL PUERTAS,

ROSA ROMERO AND

ANTONIO GIMENO WILL

RACE THE DAKAR 2015

WITH THE COLOURS OF

THE HIMOINSA TEAM.

YANMAR, VISION ADVISOR

AND HIMOINSA ARE THE

OFFICIAL TEAM SPONSORS.

With less than two months to go before the start of the toughest Rally Raid on the planet, Dakar 2015, Team HIMOIN-SA was presented to both the media and special guests at the official project début, held at HIMOINSA’s main facilities in Spain, a Spanish multinational compa-ny specialised in the manufacturing and marketing of power generation systems.

The day started with an exhibition in the auditorium hall of the nine Dakar finish-er medals won by Miguel Puertas. Along with the medals, the official uniform that the team will be wearing in the Dakar rally and two symbolic pictures of the riders were on display guarding the en-trance to the auditorium. A few minutes after the scheduled time the presen-tation began with the première of the official HIMOINSA Team video recorded in south-eastern Morocco, in the area of the Erg Chebbi dunes.

After which a press conference was held, starting with some words from HIMOINSA executive director, Francis-co Gracia, focusing on the determining factors that have led to the Spanish multinational continuing with its com-mitment to the Dakar rally, this year promoting the creation of a full team, with three motorcycle riders.

“We want to break onto the scene strongly with a leading team and make our début at Dakar 2015 with all our motards becoming finishers, reaching the podium in Buenos Aires. I also want to thank international companies Yanmar and Vision Advi-sors for wanting to embark on this journey with us.”

Multinational energy company HIMOINSA, began its relationship with Dakar ten years ago, having sponsored rider Miguel Puertas in the last ten editions of the world’s tough-est rally raid. For this upcoming edition of the rally, HIMOINSA has decided to take a leap forward and create its own team. A leap which is similar to that made by the company on the international scene, cur-rently present in over 120 countries, with a wide distribution network, 8 manufacturing plants in North America, Brazil, France, Spain, India and China, and 10 commercial subsidiaries in Singapore, Dubai, Germany, Poland, Great Britain, Portugal, Angola, Mexico, Argentina and Panama. “The Dakar rally has many similarities for us with the corporate world. When a company is institu-tionalised it undergoes a series of difficul-ties; risks, adventure, sacrifice, etc., also a lot of passion needs to be put into the project”, added Francisco Gracia, executive director of HIMOINSA.

Miguel Puertas, sporting director and rider took the reins of the presentation by listing one by one the details that make up this ambitious project. In addition, the rider from Granada faces a sporting challenge that few have been able to manage in the history of the competition: Ending tenth consecutive Dakar rallies. “I have finished nine Dakars. To achieve this you need good luck to be with you at times when you come very close to having to retire. I have had experiences where I had both feet off the raid and I have been able to continue and finish. So far, I have clocked up 90,000 km, this year the plan is to successfully complete 100,000 km at one of the toughest events in the world. It is an image of strength and perseverance, I want to achieve it. I want to give back to HIMOINSA what they have given to me over this time.”

One of the new faces to join the team is the Catalan rider, Rosa Romero. The rider, wife of two-time Dakar winner Nani Roma, is one of the few women who dare to participate in this event, a cross between motor sport and extreme adventure. Rosa, who had previously participated on three occasions without managing to finish, is a clear example of what the HIMOINSA Team wants to repre-sent. “It’s complicated. Nani experienc-es it from a professional point of view and I have to try to make sure that my race is separate from his and cannot have any negative impact on him. It has always been more of a drawback than an advantage in my favour, though he has always tried to make sure I am able to race at Dakar. This year he is very happy that I was able to join the HIMOINSA Team.”

The rider who completes this trio of motards is Antonio Gimeno. The rider from Madrid makes his return to a trial in which he participated in 2011, achiev-ing a successful 46th place. “For me, being part of the HIMOINSA Team is outstanding; to be on the same team as Rosa Romero and Miguel Puertas is a privilege. To be part of such an exciting project motivates me to push hard to ensure that all three of us reach the end of this rally.”

Once the visible faces of the project were known, the riders uncovered the bike they will be competing with at this year’s Dakar. The KTM 450 EXC is the perfect combination of light weight and powerful SOHC 4T cutting-edge technology. During these months of hard work behind the scenes, the riders together with the team of mechanics have achieved an ideal setup to get the maximum performance from the bike, always responding to the ambitions of the team.

After the question and answer session with the media in attendance, the time came to pose for the family photo at the company’s headquarters, where the rest of the elements which are vital for the team’s successful performance in the competition were also gathered: The Sca-nia R420 6x6 TT assistance truck with T5 setup, the team of mechanics formed by José Antonio Ruíz and Miguel Ángel Vicente-Ruíz and assistance truck driver Manuel Díaz Vera, involved in the project since its beginnings a decade ago.

At the same time, HIMOINSA is hosting an event with its distributors in Latin Ameri-ca. Technical seminars, product launches, market analysis and moments of convivi-ality with the HIMOINSA Team riders, such

as guided tours of the bivouac, atten-dance at the briefing of the competitors and the podium in Buenos Aires; various activities that will allow our distributors to discover the spirit of Dakar.