Source: Dakar Rally.

Red Bull KTM factory rider Marc Coma coasted into Valparaiso, Chile, on Saturday afternoon to pick up his fourth individual Dakar Rally title and KTM’s 13th title in this, the most toughest of rallies.

Factory teammate Jordi Viladoms made it a memorable day for the Austrian manufacturer by finishing second overall.

It was perhaps Coma’s finest victory in his Dakar career as he led the overall standings from Stage 5. He completed the 13-stage, near 9000km course in 54h50m53, almost two hours ahead of second placed Viladoms.

Having to lead from the front for more than half of the rally was also a tribute to Coma’s skill as a rider and tactician and is testament to his physical and mental strength. He completed the rally with three stage wins, four second-place finishes and three thirds.

Coma described his Dakar experience as “an extreme and grueling Dakar” and dedicated the win to “my friend Kurt Caselli”. Caselli, part of the Red Bull KTM Factory Team, was killed in a race accident in November.

“Without the right people behind me it would have been impossible to win,” Coma said. “We have worked very well throughout the race and also before. Last year I went through a very difficult situation not being able to compete because of injury and I came back to win the race.

“I think this says a lot about the people I have around me. I am very proud of this victory. What was key to winning the Dakar was not to make any mistakes.”

Coma, who has been a KTM factory rider since 2003, first won in Africa in 2006. He then repeated his success in 2009 and 2011 after the Dakar was relocated to South America. He did not compete in 2013 because of injury.

Understandably, going into the final stage with a massive lead, Coma took it easy in the final stage, finishing in 18th place.

The 2014 Dakar also represented a return to its roots in terms of levels of toughness that saw only 78 bikes of the original field of 196 starters in the final Stage 13.

Behind Viladoms to complete the overall podium was Yamaha’s Olivier Pain, narrowly ahead of last year’s champion and teammate Cyril Despres.

Final stage winner Joan Barreda bounced back from a difficult penultimate stage that took him out of podium contention to win Stage 13, resulting in seventh overall for Team HRC.

Australian trio Troy O’Connor, Shane Diener and Allan Roberts finished in succession overall, credited 37th to 39th positions in the gruelling event.

2014 Dakar Rally
Argentina-Bolivia-Chile

Stage 13 results:
1. Joan Barreda +1h59m44
2. Olivier Pain +40s
3. Helder Rodrigues +1m23
4. Juan Pedero Garcia +1m35
5. Cyril Despres +2m30
6. Jordi Viladoms +3m31
7. Michael Metge +4m08
8. Daniel Gouet +4m17
9. Jakub Przygonski +5m16
10. David Casteu +7m20

Overall standings (final):
1. Marc Coma 54h50m53
2. Jordi Viladoms +1h52m27
3. Olivier Pain +2h00m03
4. Cyril Despres +2h00m38
5. Helder Rodrigues +2h11m09
6. Jakub Przygonski +2h31m46
7. Joan Barreda +2h54m01
8. Daniel Gouet +3h10m34
9. Stefan Svitko +3h50m10
10. David Casteu +3h58m09

Click here for detailed results