N° 043 - TEAM CHALLENGE 75
 - CISCAR CHISBERT
- Rafael
- ESP
- 06/09/1967
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Rafael Ciscar Chisbert: “The Dakar is a matter of the heart”
For Rafael things are quite simple: the Dakar is more than a dream. In his hometown Paiporta, Rafa shares his dream with everyone. During the race, he does this through his daily article in the local newspaper “Las provincias”, and the rest of the year, in his preparation. “I have a good group of friends supporting me. We train together. They share with me my preparation. And they enjoy reading what I write for the newspaper. My section is focused on the human element, because that is my approach to the race.” Two years in a row he has finished the Dakar with a good result: 52nd in 2006 and 45th last year. In 2007 he received no penalty and had no technical problem: “I was a bit concerned because I had changed my bike. I went from a KTM 525 to a Honda 450 and, now, I believe it is the perfect motorcycle for the Dakar. The weight-power ratio is just perfect. I don’t need more speed”. It is fascinating to see just how much Rafael Ciscar loves the Dakar. “The Dakar is in my living room, and in my dining room. No day goes by without me doing something related to the Dakar”. But he also keeps is head on his shoulders: “All I want is to bring excitement to everyone and enjoy. I feel strong, I’m doing well, but I have not set myself a specific objective for the results”. When asked about what he remembers from last year, he talks about a stage without assistance in Morocco: “In the bivouac everyone, favourites and true amateurs, had to focus on their own stuff and, at the same time, we were all on an equal footing. It was touching.” It must be said that Rafa does not have two lives: Valencia or Africa. He just has one life: of someone in love. All he knows how to do is to bring his love for one land to the other, from the local fallas festival of Paiporta to the bivouacs of Mauritania. As he says: “The Dakar is a matter of the heart.”