Iveco has returned to the top of the podium in the gruelling Dakar Tally, with Dutch truck racer Gerard de Rooy bagging top honours in the 2016 edition.
The win marks de Rooy’s second victory in the Dakar truck category, after he previously won with Iveco in 2012.
The route of the rally – billed to be the most competitive of its kind in the world – this year stretched 9,000km across Argentina and Bolivia.
Iveco’s triumph at the Dakar follows the recognition the brand has received after the Eurocargo and Magelys were named International Truck of the Year 2016 and International Coach of the Year 2016 respectively, said Pierre Lahutte, Iveco brand president.
“Iveco puts the excellent reliability of its trucks on the trails of the Dakar rally, enabling the team’s outstanding pilots to give their best performance in the race. I would like to thank Gerard de Rooy, Federico Villagra, Anton Van Genugten, Pep Vila and Ales Loprais and their remarkable teams for the determination and drive they have shown.”
Piloted by the Catalonian Moi Torrllardona and assisted by Polish mechanic Darek Rodewald, de Rooy was able to maintain a constant pace with his Iveco Powerstar throughout the race. At the end of the competition, the Dutch champion dedicated his victory to his Belgian navigator, Jurgen Damen, who passed away last year.
On the podium in third place at the Dakar 2016 was Argentinian pilot Federico Villagra, while Ton Van Genugten finished fifth in his Trakker. Spaniard Pep Vila, behind the wheel of another Iveco Trakker, took tenth place.
