Negative tests and positive mood for Buggyra
It was an endless waiting, that nobody has experienced in the modern Dakar history before. Everybody was eagerly expecting the PCR test results that had the power to decide who will be allowed to participate. In the end, it went perfectly well for the Buggyra team as all team members had been cleared. The only positive thing now is the mood of every team member ahead of the 43rd edition of this famous competition.
Isolation at home during Christmas. PCR tests before departure. A quarantine in Jeddah. The final PCR tests by the organisers. And a 30-hour waiting for the results. That is the beginning of the story for the 43rd edition of the most famous rally raid competition in the world.
“It was really endless. Especially, as our competitors, Kamaz and MAZ, got the results after 15 hours already. We then began to push the organisers, because those were unfair conditions at the very beginning of the event. So, we sent the mechanics to the port even before receiving the results, to save as much time as possible and to be able to head to the track right after the shakedown. Of course, we felt a huge relief afterwards,” explains the head of communication Jan Kalivoda the challenging conditions with COVID-19 testing.
Yet, there was still not much time for the testing, as the organisers decided to close the track after the sunset at 18:00. The Buggyra Zero Mileage Racing team will spend the New Year Day doing the administrative scrutineering with the Can-Am DV21 specials. The Tatra Buggyra Racing is scheduled for tomorrow and has one day advantage. Because of that, the team management has decided to stay in the desert for the night and continue testing in the morning. Only then the team will move to the bivouac for the start of the competition.
“The final hours are very hectic, but luckily it’s not just about waiting on the test results anymore. Finally, we’ve entered the ‘Dakar bubble’. As always, the transit was pretty rough for the vehicles and David Vršecký wasn’t also entirely happy with the testing on the New Year’s Eve, that took place right after the team had been cleared for COVID. That’s why we’ve decided to stay in the desert. Everybody is working around the clock, there’s not much time left, so we’ve celebrated the new year by working, but in a positive mood,” adds Jan Kalivoda.
The event begins on January 2, with an 11-kilometre-long prologue, which is already going to count towards the official classification.
