ISSUE 31
AKRAPOVIČ SLIP-ON LINE (TITANIUM) EXHAUST SYSTEM FOR BMW M3 AND M4
EVERGREEN Pol Tarrés
RIDER FROM THE FUTURE Interview with Toby Price
FINDING THE WAY
Marc Philipp Gemballa and the Marsien
MAKER OF DREAMS COME TRUE
A column by Toby Moody
MAKING THE MOUNTAINS CLOSER The world’s first high performance, folding, all-mountain ski. Plane, train, or automobile, no matter how you access the mountains, Voyager fits your adventure.
elanskis.com
04
C ont e nt s
A K RAP OV I Č Akrapovič Lifestyle Magazine Issue 31, November 2021 Akrapovič d.d. Malo Hudo 8a SI-1295 Ivančna Gorica Slovenia www.akrapovic.com Editor in Chief: Miran Ališič Publisher: Korpmedia d.o.o. Tomšičeva 1, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia www.korpmedia.si Registration No.: 2272237000 VAT No.: SI14601737 Client Coordinator: Primož Jurman Photo Editor: Bor Dobrin Art Directors: Slavojka Akrapovič, Neja Engelsberger, Saša Kerkoš Cover design: Zdenko Bračevac Design: Zdenko Bračevac, Andrej Perčič, Bojan Perko, Robert Cankar, Akrapovič Kreativa d.o.o. Content Editor: Jasna Milinković Contributors: Michael Baumann, Alenka Birk, Bor Dobrin, Volker Hirth, Matevž Hribar, Kentaro Hiroshima, Primož Jurman, Saša Kapetanovič, Peter Kavčič, Gaber Keržišnik, Toby Moody, Mitja Reven, Karin Sturm, Tina Torelli, Jean Turner, Federico Tondelli Contributing Photographers: Adam Campbell, Akrapovič, Alex Štokelj, Bentley Motors, BMW, Brazo del Hierro, Bor Dobrin, Federico Tondelli, Graeme Brown, Grega Valančič, Ivana Krešić, Javier Echevarria, Lamborghini, Marc Robinot, Option, Oskar Bakke, Ray Archer, Sportida, Yamaha Translation: Matjaž Horvat, Werner Schneider Proofreading: Katarina Mahnič, Tim Walpole Ad space marketing: www.yvision.ch Y.Vision GmbH, Poststrasse 9, 6300 Zug, Switzerland On the cover: Akrapovič exhaust system for Fabio Quartararo’s Yamaha YZR-M1 (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Valencia 2021 Printing: LUart, Lepovče 42, 1310 Ribnica, Slovenia
Contents
05 Letter
06 Akrapovič News
12 Technology
18 Story
22 Technology
28 Evolution
32 Interview
40 Ride With Us
46 Story
50 Adventure
56 Evolution
62 Visit With Us
68 Story
72 Original
78 High Gear
// Si NOTE All the longer articles in the Akrapovič magazine include a text that will be marked with the // Si sign and placed in a special frame. The Akrapovič company is based in Slovenia and this is why we decided to keep this part of the text in Slovenian as well.
Copyright notice This magazine and its entire textual and pictorial content are subject to copyright. Any reproduction thereof without prior written consent of the copyright holder is prohibited. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Akrapovič d.d., the publishers or the editors. Not for sale. Printed in Slovenia in November 2021 in 6.000 copies.
General Warning Because of the world-wide distribution of Akrapovič d.d. products, neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of its subsidiaries make any representation that the products comply with the air and/or noise emissions laws, or labeling laws, of any jurisdiction. The purchasers are entirely responsible for informing themselves of the applicable laws where the products are to be used and to comply with those laws. Warning / USA Various U.S. states and the U.S. federal government have individual laws regulating the use of aftermarket exhaust parts and systems, especially as those parts and systems modify, remove, or replace original equipment catalysts. Please consult the appropriate laws in your area before installing any aftermarket part or system on your vehicle to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. Neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of their subsidiaries or the sellers of the parts or systems make any representation that any of their parts or systems comply with any such laws. Warning / California California laws prohibit the use of any aftermarket exhaust part or system that modifies, removes or replaces original equipment catalysts unless the California Air Resources Board has issued an Executive Order regarding such part or system or unless the part or system is exempted by being used only on racing vehicles on closed courses. Neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of their subsidiaries make any representation that any of their parts or systems has received such an Executive Order or that any of their parts or systems conform with the racing vehicles exemption. The purchasers are entirely responsible for informing themselves of applicable California laws and to comply with those laws.
05
Letter
05
Photography: Bor Dobrin
04
Decisions made with common sense Igor Akrapovič embarked on his solo business career in 1991. He decided to make his vision come true and began looking for coworkers to help him follow a path that nobody had forged before in the industry in Slovenia. Some of us were motorcycle enthusiasts, others were craftsmen living near the Dolenjska region, who were looking for a job closer to home. Many had doubts at the start, wondering whether we can really sell enough exhausts to pay for our salaries… Most of us had no clue about what was going through Igor's mind or what his vision was. We let ourselves be led down this uncertain path and gradually began to piece together all that was needed to achieve our goal. We paved our way towards the top by making quality products. This required a lot of ingenuity and resourcefulness, as we, for example, had to set up most of the work processes from scratch. Igor meanwhile made bold business decisions using his intuition and a well-honed sense of customer needs and expectations, thereby successfully steering the company towards ever greater achievements. In doing so, he did not blindly rely on the results and findings of business analytics, but made his decisions with the requisite amount of prudence and rationality - in other words, by using common sense. Fast forward 30 years and the business environment is changing radically. The market situation is more uncertain than ever before. The need to preserve nature, the trends towards more sustainable development and, consequently, the electrification of the automotive industry and related
regulations, are already shaping the economic landscape of tomorrow. Add Covid-19 - a looming threat that has severely impacted the rhythm of our everyday lives and fundamentally altered our ways of living - to the mix and the immense importance of choosing how to continue becomes abundantly clear. The path we take today might quite possibly define our future for the next 30 years. If we want to continue with our string of achievements and successes, we will need to keep making decisions based on subtle insights into the wishes and needs of our customers, understand the technical and operational potential of our own technological capabilities, continue investing in the workforce and development, find a balance between business indicators and business intuition, enrich our many years of experience with the bold ideas of future leaders and, above all, maintain our common sense. If we are able to do the above, I believe that we can turn the current situation to our advantage - within the motoring industry and beyond. Thus, perhaps three decades from now, we will not only look at the present as a period of challenges, threats and obstacles, but remember it as the moment when we reached our full potential, seized new opportunities and charted the course for the next 30 years of achievements and successes - a moment we will look back on with pride. Slavko Alojz Trstenjak Head of Akrapovič Racing R&D
A krapov ič Ne w s
More than 150 World Champions! Remy Gardner, Fabio Quartararo, Pedro Acosta
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings
Akrapovič exhaust system. It was convincingly
rode to a convincing victory at the last race of
won by Maxime Renaux on a Yamaha, who
the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship
finished the season with a commanding
season, becoming MXGP World Champion,
124-point advantage over Jago Geerts, his
grabbing his second championship title in
teammate at the Monster Energy Yamaha
the premier motocross class and his fifth
Factory MX2 team.
overall in motocross. This particular November
Similarly as in MXGP, the overall winner in the
Wednesday in Mantova, Italy, was also important
FIM Supercross World Championship was also
for Akrapovič, as the 27-year-old Dutchman
decided at the last race of the season, with
claimed the 150th World Champion title for the
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Cooper Webb
Slovenian company. This year alone, 13 riders
taking the laurels with a convincing victory in
became best in the world in their classes using
Salt Lake City, Utah, becoming the best in the
racing machines equipped with Akrapovič
world in 450SX for the second time. Two other
exhaust systems. Altogether, the Slovenian
riders on off-road bikes made by Austria’s KTM
company, which is marking its 30th anniversary
and fitted with exhaust systems from Ivančna
in 2021, now has 153 World Champion titles
Gorica also finished their seasons in the top
under its belt, with the first one coming in 2000,
spot. Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM Factory
courtesy of Colin Edwards (Honda), and the
Racing) had gathered enough points to clinch
100th at the end of 2015, delivered by Jorge
his second FIM Cross-Country Rallies World
Lorenzo (Yamaha). The overall victory in the
Championship title at the penultimate rally of
MX2 class of the 2021 FIM Motocross World
the season in Morocco, while Josep Garcia
Championship also went to a rider with an
(Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) celebrated his Matthias Walkner
Photo: Rally Zone / KTM Images
06 / 11
Cooper Webb
Akrapovič News
Photo: ALIGN MEDIA / KTM Images
Laia Sanz Photo: Future7Media / GASGAS Factory Racing
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
Maxime Renaux
Jeffrey Herlings
overall win in the Enduro 2 category of the FIM
Bull KTM Ajo) won the World Championship
Junior) cemented his position as the fastest
Enduro World Championship a few days later.
in his first season, at the tender age of 17. In a
rider this season, while a few hours before
He was joined by Laia Sanz (GASGAS Factory
class of his own in Moto2 was Remy Gardner
that an epic fight in the 2021 FIM Superbike
Racing), who again proved unbeatable in the
(Red Bull KTM Ajo) - son of Wayne Gardner,
World Championship in Indonesia resulted in
FIM EnduroGP Women World Championship,
the 500cc title winner in 1987 - who beat the
the first-ever title of the best in the world for
with her teammate Andrea Verona crowned the
rest of the grid to take the intermediate class
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx
best in Enduro 1.
honours. The title in the premier category went
WorldSBK).
Akrapovič’s partners who race on asphalt had a
to Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha
similarly successful season. The FIM Supersport
MotoGP), whose convincing performance
300 World Championship title was won by
in the 2021 season made him the first-ever
Adrián Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) and the group
French MotoGP Champion. The penultimate
photo at the end of the FIM MotoGP World
weekend in November added two more World
Championship season featured exclusively
Champions to Akrapovič’s roster. In the FIM
Akrapovič-equipped bikes for the first time
Moto3 Junior World Championship race in
since 2012. Moto3 rookie Pedro Acosta (Red
Valencia, Daniel Holgado (GASGAS Aspar Team
6
7
Exhaust for the Lamborghini Huracán range Akrapovič has once again joined forces with Lamborghini, with the two technical partners following up the lightweight titanium rear arch for the Lamborghini Huracán STO with an exhaust system for various models of the Huracán range. The Slovenian specialist in lightweight materials and the famous Italian sports car manufacturer have developed a lightweight titanium exhaust system designed to significantly reduce weight. The titanium exhaust for the Huracán, available at authorised Lamborghini dealers, enhances the sportscar’s thrilling sound throughout the entire rev range and is music to your ears.
Celebrations at Red Bull Romaniacs Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler claimed victory at the 2021 Red Bull Romaniacs, round four of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, winning the world’s toughest hard enduro race for the third time in a row. Apart from the winner and numerous other riders sporting Akrapovič exhaust systems, two Slovenians also made their marks. Tjaša Fifer (Beta) won in the Iron class and Toni Mulec (Husqvarna Motorcycles) came in second in the Silver class.
8 Photo: Denis Janežič
06 / 11
Akrapovič News
Thank you, Valentino In August, nine-time World Champion and Grand Prix racing legend Valentino Rossi, who rode for PETRONAS Yamaha Sepang Racing Team this season, announced his retirement from MotoGP after the end of the 2021 season. From 2022 onwards, the starting grid will be missing the legendary number 46, but the whole sporting world will remember the Doctor’s passion for racing, his unrivalled charisma and astounding achievements, which made him - arguably - the ‘GOAT’ (Greatest of All Time). The 42-year-old Italian has been active for the longest in Grand Prix racing, he made his debut in 1996 and 2021 was his 26th season. Akrapovič is proud that Valentino Rossi raced with Ivančna Gorica exhausts.
Race to the Clouds with Bentley The Akrapovič-equipped Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak proved to be the fastest racecar using renewable fuel at the 2021 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, finishing second in the Time Attack 1 and an excellent fourth overall. Snow and ice near the summit meant that the finish line had to be repositioned lower down to Devil’s Playground (3,895 metres), cutting out the last third of the normal course, which made Bentley’s Time Attack recordbreaking ambitions impossible to realise. The Continental GT3 Pikes Peak set a blistering pace over the first two sectors, entering the third and final sector twelve seconds ahead of its nearest rival.
9
81.2 percent of the vote Akrapovič won the hearts and minds of renowned PS magazine readers for the 14th year running, winning best brand in the motorcycle exhausts category. 12,108 readers of the magazine took part in the 2021 vote, netting Akrapovič an overwhelming victory with 81.2% of the vote.
Dozen sport auto awards Readers of the acclaimed German sport auto magazine were once again given the chance to vote for their favourite brands and chose Akrapovič as the best car exhausts brand for the 12th year in a row. The latest survey saw 15,522 individual answers, with 66.7 percent deciding for Akrapovič.
Nobody else with #222 Infront Motor Racing, a FIM Motocross World Championship promoter, announced it will ‘retire’ number 222, used by Antonio Cairoli (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who decided to call it quits after the end of this year’s season. Cairoli began competing in Grand Prix racing in 2004 and won a total of nine world champion titles, with two coming in the MX2 category and seven in the MXGP/MX1 class. Alongside this, he has over 90 Grand Prix victories, which puts him among the top motocross riders of all times.
10
11
Goodbye, BMW M6 GT3 This year’s DTM season, where Class 1 racecars were replaced by GT3 machines, was extremely interesting and quite successful for Marco Wittmann, despite finishing a place shy of the podium in the final standings. He collected a total of 171 points from the 16 races with his BMW M6 GT3, the model’s last season before being replaced with a BMW M4 GT3. The Walkenhorst Motorsport racing driver and Akrapovič brand ambassador won twice, was on the pole twice and stood on the podium five times. “I can be particularly pleased with fourth place overall in the championship. For me, the highs and the victories this season definitely outweigh anything else. The performances we gave this year were huge,” said the two-time DTM champion.
Record 17 and a title Fresh N’ Lean Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne won a record 17 races on his way to becoming MotoAmerica champion in the Superbike class in the 2021 season. Jake and his Yamaha R1 had already built an unassailable lead in the 2021 MotoAmerica season before the final racing weekend.
06 / 11
Akrapovič News
Breath-taking achievements Slovenian freediver Alenka Artnik had an amazing 2021. She already showed how well prepared she was in the Bahamas in July, when she set a new world record in the monofin category with a 118m dive. But this was only the beginning, because she followed it up with a record 120-metre effort before going an incredible two metres deeper still, making Alenka the fifth person in history to go so deep. In October she set a world record in the double fin category by diving to a depth of 106 metres and also brought back two gold medals from the world championship. “This year’s season was my best so far. Previously I couldn’t imagine being able to achieve such results so quickly and in one season only. I became a world record holder and a world champion. An absolutely dreamlike season,” Alenka summed up a truly amazing year. Her results leave many breathless. On land.
Photo: Federico Buzzoni
Photo: Florian Burghardt
Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree McAMS Yamaha rider Tarran Mackenzie put in a stellar performance during the 2021 Bennetts British Superbike Championship finale at Brands Hatch and secured the Superbike title, while the McAMS Yamaha, thanks to a successful 2021 season by teammate Jason O’Halloran, who shared a total of 21 victories with Mackenzie, won the team’s and manufacturer’s championship titles. Tarran celebrated the title in the company of father Niall, the BSB series champion in 1996, 1997 and 1998, who also rode to his success on a Yamaha equipped with an Akrapovič exhaust system. The photograph taken of the 1996 and 2021 season champions was just what the doctor ordered in the year when Akrapovič celebrates its 30th anniversary. Photo: McAMS Yamaha/Impact Images
Technology
AKRAPOVIČ SLIP-ON LINE (TITANIUM) EXHAUST SYSTEM FOR BMW M3 AND M4
E V E RG R E E N by Saša Kapetanovič photography Bor Dobrin, Akrapovič
12 / 17 Technology
12
13
IT’S NOT E ASY TO CRE ATE A TIMELESS SOUNDTR ACK THAT WILL REMAIN INSPIRING AT ALL TIMES. ONE WAY IS TO USE THE INSPIR ATION OF THE MOMENT, BUT ANOTHER, MORE DEPENDABLE ONE, IS TO EMPLOY A WELL-TUNED BAND AND AN E XPERIENCED PRODUC TION CRE W. AKR APOVIČ IS BANKING ON THE SECOND ME THOD.
ACHIEVING MA XIMUM PERFORMANCE IN ALL ARE AS
A model that earns the status of an icon in
Simon Vipavec and Peter Košir, who form
the automotive world must have left a deep
the core of the team and whose expertise
impression on the market. This could be
was supplemented by that of CAD designer
due to its exhilarating design, exceptional
Matija Zajec, project technologist Peter
The team really gets going when I ask them
sales successes, winning races, or setting
Del Fabro and industrial designer Ermin
about the challenges they faced. They agree
technological milestones… Just one of these
Kosovel. Design actually played a key role
that the biggest one was to achieve maximum
could make a car timeless, but what would
in the project, as Akrapovič - apart from
performance in all areas, while keeping the
you say if there existed a model whose
always aiming to create a family of products
Slip-On Line (Titanium) system in line with
portfolio ticks all of the above-mentioned
with recognisable visuals - also wanted to
ECE type-approval requirements. During
boxes? Whenever a new generation of
show a bit of its daring design prowess.
development, the main guiding principle was
BMW’s M3 and M4 arrives, everybody in
This is where the idea was born to produce
that buyers of such vehicles want variety. The
the industry takes notice and watches the
extravagant and different tailpipes to
car must remain comfortable for everyday
unveiling with great interest. Akrapovič does
somehow complement the design direction
usage, the sound must stay unobtrusive while
as well, with the Slovenian exhaust artisans
BMW was taking with the new model. The
its volume and pitch have to harmoniously
eagerly awaiting their next challenge - to
lightweight titanium tailpipes with their
match the engine revs. “Anyone can make
create the best aftermarket exhaust system for
carbon-fibre outer sleeve thus come with a
a loud exhaust, but a system with a lot of
the new generation of BMW’s iconic car.
new, attractive octagonal finish, and can be
functionality and sound range is a challenge
But how to tackle such a project? Where to
emphasised even more with a hand-crafted
to create,” is how NHV expert Simon Vipavec
start? Who are the experienced producers
carbon-fibre diffuser, an item of special
summed up the task.
who will master the soundtrack of the twin-
pride for the design experts at Akrapovič.
With the thought firmly implanted, the team
turbo inline-six inside the new M3 and M4?
The team also did not forget about more
tackled this challenge at its roots. The
When I asked that question at Akrapovič
traditionally-minded customers, because
headquarters, the development team,
the company also offers classically shaped
each with their own laptop, jumped at the
tailpipes, made from the same materials.
opportunity, actually showing a lot more enthusiasm than when being photographed by Bor’s camera. I was thus in short order joined by Head of Automotive Exhaust Development Matej Bulc, Project Manager Jure Majc, NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) masters
12 / 17 Technology
process starts by Akrapovič evaluating each car and its serial exhaust system in order to obtain a clear picture of how the
SMALL BUT POWERFUL ELEC TRONIC BR AIN
vehicle sounds and behaves, and how an
Itching for more details? I was, and at this point
Akrapovič exhaust can change its character
in the conversation I simply leaned back and
and make it even more special. It is also
let the team take it away. For example, did you
status of an icon in
important to maintain the engine’s specific
know that Akrapovič engineers always make an
the automotive world
sound, as Akrapovič’s exhausts in no way
effort to let the exhaust’s sound tell the driver
want to obliterate the original notes. The first
the last moment that they need to shift into
must have lef t a deep
challenge faced was the engine’s design
a higher gear? I didn’t and I was impressed
impression on the
and its sound properties. However, since the
by that. Serial exhausts usually do not have
team had already designed the aftermarket
an acoustic feedback signal just before the
market. This could be
exhausts for the previous generations of
engine hits its rev limiter, which is why even
M3 and M4, as well as met the S58 engine
a tiny detail like specific sound at high revs is
design, exceptional sales
during the BMW X3 M project, there were
important for Akrapovič. Or, did you know that
no major unknowns regarding where and
an exhaust system contains a lot more than
successes, winning races,
how to start. Having clearly outlined their
just mechanical parts? That the exhausts of
or setting technological
guidelines, the team set off designing and
today are gadgets in their own right? Akrapovič exhausts, including the ones for the new M3
milestones.
testing prototypes. They created the sound by shaping the exhaust pressure waves while
and M4, contain small electronic brains – the
emphasising additional effects such as the
Control Kit – which are complemented by the
bang of unburned fuel in the exhaust system.
exhaust and include electronic valve control.
However, what I was able to write in a single
This important element enriches the driving
sentence actually describes several months
experience by letting the smart device use
of efforts for the team, which produced a total
data provided by the central computer to
of seven different concepts and changed
optimise and adjust the openness of the valves
numerous details on the way before creating a
to match the driving style. If I may illustrate:
final prototype that met their expectations and
the traditional notion is that the sound is best
was confirmed for serial production.
when the car’s drive mode is switched to sports and exhaust valves completely open. Akrapovič engineers assured me that many more factors are important for providing
A model that earns the
due to its exhilarating
14
15
16
17
ingenious solutions, but we were beginning
perfect melody, goosebumps appear and
to be pressed by time so we had to move
heads begin to nod in agreement. Lastly, it
on to the final topic. Who on the team gives
is important that other employees also drive
the completed concept the final ‘blessing’?
the car during the testing phase, as they
Who is the one with the best ears? After
may detect deviations. In the case of the
a few exchanged glances, I received a
BMW M3 and M4, this important appraisal
thoughtful answer that both subjective
was also conducted by a man with an
assessment and accurate measurements are
unquestionable ability to recognise the true
important. For the latter, they mostly rely on
acoustic feedback of sports cars – two-time
the spectrogram, which is, simply put, the
DTM series champion and Akrapovič brand
exhaust system’s fingerprint. The team uses
ambassador Marco Wittmann. The team
it to evaluate pressure pulses and multiples
also prepared upgrades for the Slip-On Line
of the engine’s basic frequencies to obtain
(Titanium) system, which include components
the image of the sound. The ultimate goal is
such as the link pipes and the downpipes
to enhance these harmonic multiples so that
for even greater tuning potential and usage
the driver can enjoy as wide a range of tunes
exclusively on racetracks.
as possible. Peter Košir suitably likened the
Buyers deciding on purchasing an Akrapovič
process to strumming a chord on a guitar. But
exhaust system can also be influenced
despite the high-quality precision equipment
by the numbers: when tested on the
the company uses, it is still very important
company’s in-house dynamometer, the
to get a subjective assessment, because, in
BMW M4 Competition, equipped with the
the end, ears are the most reliable measuring
Slip-On Line (Titanium) system, gained
tools. Some team members might have
8kW (10.9hp) at 6,000rpm in comparison
slightly different preferences or different
with the standard exhaust and boasted
I would have been more than happy to just
driving styles, but they say they are entirely
13.9Nm more torque at 5,000rpm. The
sit and listen to these, and numerous other
in tune as a whole, and when they hit on that
exhaust system is constructed of lightweight
the best experience. They have therefore developed a system that analyses such factors independently and, based on the received data (engine revs, speed, selected gear, position of the accelerator pedal…), adjusts how much the valves are open at any given moment to produce optimal sound, regardless of the selected drive mode. One more thing: looking at the exhaust under the car, I noticed that each set of tailpipes is connected to the exhaust with one tailpipe only; the other looks like it is floating even though it is mechanically attached to the other tailpipe from the same set. The team quickly assured me that this was not done in error, but for a specific purpose, namely as one of the ways to correctly direct the sound into the cabin. The main idea is not to exceed homologation volume, of course, but to deliberately direct some of the sound energy towards the interior by using the arrangement at the end of the two tailpipes.
E ARS ARE THE MOST RELIABLE ME ASURING TOOLS
12 / 17 Technology
During development, the main guiding principle was t ha t bu ye r s of such ve hicles wan t varie t y. T he c ar must remain comfor table for ever yday usage, the sound must stay unobtrusive while its volume and pitch harmoniously match the engine revs.
titanium, including complex cast parts made at Akrapovič’s in-house foundry, so it weighs just over 15 kilograms, 35% less than the stock exhaust and it also fully meets the requirements of ECE type approval. As for me, having talked to the project team in charge of the exhaust system on the M3 and M4, I was thoroughly convinced by their enthusiasm, professionalism, desire to create, the need to achieve perfection and the immense and unshakable belief that they bring something extra to the product. Something that could make it an evergreen.
// Si Izpušni sistem Akrapovič Slip-On Line (Titanium) za BMW M3 in M4 Težko je ustvariti zvočni zapis, ki bo večen in v vsakem trenutku navdihujoč. Ena pot je na podlagi trenutnega navdiha, druga, zanesljivejša, pa z dobro uigranim orkestrom in izkušeno produkcijsko skupino. Na drugo metodo stavijo tudi pri Akrapoviču. Če ima v avtomobilskem svetu neki model status ikone, pomeni, da je s svojo prisotnostjo na trgu pustil globok pečat. Morda je navdušil z obliko, dosegel izjemne prodajne uspehe, prispeval k osvojitvi dirke, postavil tehnološke mejnike … Že nekaj od tega lahko avtu prinese status brezčasnosti. Kaj šele, če se pojavi avto, ki ima v svojem portfelju pri vseh teh dejavnikih zelene kljukice! Zato je povsem pričakovano, da prihod vsake nove generacije BMW-jevih modelov M3 in M4, avtomobilska industrija spremlja z velikim zanimanjem. Tudi v podjetju Akrapovič, kjer so nestrpno čakali na nov izziv – ustvariti svoj najboljši izpušni sistem za novo generacijo BMW-jeve ikone. Nastal je še en “evergreen”.
Story
18 / 21
Story
18
19
IN THE ARENA
PUSHING THE LIMITS
A quarry near to Rellinars, the birthplace of Pol Tarrés, basks in a
Like every rebel with a cause, Pol chose to walk his own path.
golden light, kissed by the late afternoon sun. Majestic marble stacks
It’s not an easy road, but history has been made by those who
placed in a semicircle create an arena around a huge rock, almost
have taken it. His father Francesc competed in Trial and so did
an altar for Pol Tarrés, the 28-year-old who was born with too much
his uncle Jordi Tarrés, a seven-time Trial World Champion; the
character, too much vision, and too much physical strength to be
discipline has now been dominated for many years by Pol’s
moulded by the rules of motorcycle-racing disciplines, organisations
good friend Toni Bou. Pol successfully towed the family line
and federations. Apart from rebelling against outdated rules and
until 2016 when he quit out of protest against federation rules,
systems, Pol’s favourite thing is to bend the laws of gravity.
venturing into extreme Enduro and SuperEnduro to seek greater challenges. He got straight in the top-ten as a rookie but,
He steps off his Yamaha Ténéré 700, and builds a ramp using two
restless and hungry, started going after even more. He starred in
rocks. He scans the surroundings, calculating the distance, height,
a short movie Hebo Dominicana and co-founded a new team, the
depth, speed, inertia and momentum. Perfectly present in the moment,
Trece Racing Society.
he starts the bike, is on the ramp in a few heartbeats and lifts from the ground in a poetry of fluid motion. The bike effortlessly sails over the
As the Dominicana dust settled, Pol became restless again.
big rock before landing as smoothly and safely as can be.
It was last year during the lockdown when the ideas, born in
by Tina Torelli photography Brazo de Hierro, Javier Echevarria
P o l Ta r r é s
RIDER FROM THE FUTURE This is a story about bending and breaking all types of laws. It‘s a story about a rider from the future, an old school warrior who lives by his own rules.
his garage while lifting weights and listening to old rock, really
world of BMX as faithfully as possible into the world of adventure
started to flow. He finally settled on taking an adventure bike
riding. My specialty or what I would call the Tarres style is that
where only goats dare to thread. He reached out to Yamaha,
it all ends up looking like a walk in the park. BMX riders are said
they agreed and a package soon arrived in Catalonia: a standard
to have a flow. They seem to be dancing on the bicycle. I dance
Yamaha Ténéré 700. Suspension master Eric Augè prepared
with a 200-kilogram motorcycle. And when Kriss Kyle sends you
the forks for a more stunt-proof ride, the guys put on Mitas soft
a message saying that what you’re doing is brutal, you get some
tires and removed some make-up and that was it. Pol was exactly
real satisfaction. It’s like winning the championship! For me, this
where he loved to be and where he was at his best - far out of
is as much a sport as an art. Artists see a work of art even before
his comfort zone, in his beloved Pyrenees, first blurring and then
they create it. They see a sculpture in a piece of stone the same
erasing the boundaries separating Enduro, Trial and Adventure.
way I see a jump in a rock.” People seem to think you practice
Many new bikes (and riders) soon appeared in the little village of
your moves countless times. “Ha, if this were true, I would be
Rellinars and the rest is history.
long gone. You physically try it once, at most twice, and then you do the rest of the work here.” [knocks on forehead]
“People are getting inspired by the beauty of our movies, I know, but the things I do here are on the limit. I want to transpose the
FROM BRONZE TO SILVER - WHAT’S NEXT FOR POL? Following another mini film, The Seeker, the chase for the impossible continued in the Carpathian Mountains. Pol became the first rider in history to finish Red Bull Romaniacs, the world’s toughest hard enduro event, with an adventure bike…in the bronze class! Anyone who knows the 600km long race through the forests, rocky slopes and rivers of mud will know what a titanic achievement this is and what bronze really means for Romaniacs. Pol went all-in and wrote a brand-new chapter in the history of motorcycle racing. “People took an interest in my attempt, followed me and supported me as if I was fighting for victory at the Dakar. The accompanying feelings are impossible to describe. But the crucial bit is that I believed, the team believed, and the joy at the finish line was immense. It was epic!” So, what’s next? “Silver class, of course!”
MASTERING THE MENTAL GAME But even before that, Pol intends to finish the highly anticipated sequel to The Seeker (This story was written before The Seeker 2 was finished but now it is out and available on YouTube). “I put all of myself into this project. People liked it when I put in 70 percent, but this time I’m giving them the whole 100 without fear that there would be nothing left for the next time. I am aware that I will also be criticised by many. They will say that I’m setting a bad example, I am playing with life. True, but the life I’m playing with is mine.” The film features scenes shot by camera operators with their eyes shut. “I have complete faith in myself. Before I venture into the unknown, I calm down to feel if the path is free or not. I respect my adversaries: the rocks, the dams, the rivers. When you feel respect, you are there. When you’re scared, you simply aren’t. I keep telling myself ‘The day I get scared, I will change jobs.’” And go work in a bank? “I take it back. I feel like the wealthiest person on earth on a motorcycle.”
AND THE BIGGEST ADVENTURE?
most others don’t or can’t. When I was, let’s say going with the flow, I trained a lot and achieved decent results. But the world really opened up when I went my own way. I train a lot more today because I have a brutal passion for what I do. It requires a lot of training but even more of that something you have or simply don’t. I can say in all modesty that I have a special gift. Because technique
“To blaze your own trail.” Is number 13 part
is not all that takes your breath away. Only by
of this attitude to life? “In part. Number one
controlling your thoughts and emotions can
represents my world title and number three
you do amazing things. The only way to get
the three second places. But I also like it
rid of fear is to regularly do things that are at
because nobody else wants it. I go where
least a little scary.”
Apart from rebelling against outdated rules and systems, Pol’s favourite thing is to bend the laws of gravity.
18 / 21
Story
20
21
“BMX riders are said to have a flow. They seem to be dancing on the bicycle. Well, I dance with a 200-kilogram motorcycle.” The Seeker 2 is out and Pol Tarrés available on YouTube.
22 / 27
Technology
Technology
by Karin Sturm
Superbike vs. Endurance
TOP CATEGORIES DIFFERENT EMPHASIS Completely different at first glance, yet also sharing many similarities: The Superbike World Championship (FIM WorldSBK) and the Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC) are both playgrounds at the highest level for top motorcycle racing riders and manufacturers, and Markus Reiterberger knows both series well. The 27- year - old has already won three superbike titles in the International German Championship (IDM), and also finished top in the 10 0 0cc European Superstock Championship in 2018. Now, after a few difficult seasons in WorldSBK, the Bavarian found a new home in the Endurance World Championship. One in which he feels very comfortable and where he found success straight off the bat. Winning the 6 Hours of Most with Ilya Mikhalchik and Kenny Foray in October rewarded him and Werner Daemen‘s BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team with the runner - up spot in the world championship.
22
23
photography BMW
He doesn’t want to rate the two categories as
mentally, right from the start: “The Endurance
He doesn’t see any major differences in
better or worse though. “They are simply two
World Championship is primarily a team
terms of required physical preparation and
different series, albeit both representing a big
sport. We are three riders, we have a big
fitness training either. “I always say that
challenge for the rider. Both use bikes based
team behind us, which means that the full
the best way to training is to get on a bike
on road-going models, so one can compete
weight doesn’t lie on the rider. Every single
and ride as much as possible. Of course,
with motorcycles originally built for everyday
mechanic or engineer is just as involved in
endurance races require a bit more stamina,
riding, though they do, of course, undergo
the success in the end. In superbike, after
but because we ride so much, including a
some changes and modifications.”
everything has been set up, the end result
lot of testing, that almost comes naturally.
ultimately rests on the rider’s shoulders.”
In any case, fitness training can only lay the foundations, give one some basic stamina,
The biggest difference is that the World Superbike Championship is a pure full-
Both worlds have their appeal
a bit of strength - each rider does that
throttle event with a race duration of less
Reiterberger sees the appeal in both
individually. But in my opinion, the crucial
than one hour, while the Endurance World
categories. “Of course, it’s the desire of
thing happens on the track.”
Championship lasts a minimum of six and
every rider to become a world champion one
a maximum of twenty-four hours. For the
day. But I’m also very happy to have found
Learning from each other
riders, this means a different approach, also
myself in a large and strong Endurance World
When in FIM EWC three riders share one
Championship team and one that is very well
racing bike, the decisive factor is how well
positioned to boot,” he adds.
all three of them are able to manage it. “We have the good fortune that all three of us fit the bike very well, that there are no major differences in our height and weight. We also mostly share the ways we want the bike to be set up. Of course, one has to be ready to make compromises now and then - after all, it’s no use if one rider is extremely fast but
BMW M 1000 RR, FIM EWC 2021
“Fortunately, endurance racing has qualifying sessions, where one can go absolutely flat out. As at superbike races, it all boils down to the rider; you can and must give it all. Doing the perfect lap, knowing you’ve gotten out the absolute maximum, that gives you a lot, it’s a special feeling, a chance to show your full potential as a rider.” Markus Reiterberger BMW M 1000 RR, FIM WorldSBK 2021
22 / 27
Technology
his teammates are slow. That’s why it’s also
him as well, it could happen to anyone. You
important to get along well, because in the
have to put yourself in the position of the
end you can only win as a team.” This is the
person who made the mistake - usually they
reason why all the data is shared and the
feel even worse than the others. You have
riders try to learn from each other - whereas
to motivate and build each other up again -
in the Superbike World Championship
and just keep going.”
everyone is usually alone, even among teammates. “If one teammate in FIM EWC is
Fast but gentle on the material
a bit worse off, it’s usually possible to build
The notion that Endurance World
him up and solve the problem together. We’re
Championship racing is much slower
lucky to have three top riders and a very good
than superbike racing and that
substitute rider. If we do hit a rough patch, we sit down together and analyse what we can improve and where.” A particular challenge in team sports is to cope when one of the teammates makes a mistake that puts the whole team behind or even completely out of contention. “That’s a tough one, we’ve already had that situation a few times. At first you’re naturally disappointed when something like that happens, but everyone must be aware that the same thing could happen to
24
25
22 / 27
Technology
26
27
Michael van der Mark is racing for BMW Motorrad in WorldSBK, with Markus Reiterberger focusing on EWC.
Photo: Graeme Brown
the risk of crashing is therefore lower is,
are therefore constantly practiced, both at
Endurance racing therefore also includes a
incidentally, a misconception. “We may be
home in the factory and on the racetrack.
taste of superbike, which might be a reason
a bit slower, but we are now operating at
Depending on the circuit, there are 22 to 26
that Reiterberger feels a bit more at home
such a high level that we are also almost
regular stops in a 24-hour race, so gaining a
in the Endurance World Championship.
constantly riding at the absolute limits,” said
few seconds at every one of them can easily
Obviously, having had a few difficult
Reiterberger. Which also makes the races
mean the difference between winning the
seasons in WorldSBK left its mark with
increasingly a battle of attrition for both
race and finishing below the top step of the
part of the reason for those also being
men and machines due to the high level of
podium. Technology also helps here, with
a new bike. “Somehow I may have never
stress on the material. Riders also face the
quick-change systems making it possible
been in the right place at the right time.”
additional challenge of not only having to be
to replace the front and rear wheels within
Of course, he hasn’t completely written
fast, but also gentle on the bikes in order to
six to eight seconds. But, of course, the
superbike off yet. “I’m leaving all my options
avoid technical problems. “Our engines have
teamwork of the entire pit crew has to be
open. At the moment, my focus is clearly on
a bit less power than those in superbike and
perfect as well.
the Endurance World Championship and
are designed more for durability. It’s a similar
I’m still racing in national championships
story with the chassis, the add-on parts, the
Despite the team concept, there is still a part
on the side as well as riding on the roads
tyres - the main thing is that everything is
of the race weekend where a rider can prove
as a Dunlop tester, so I’m not losing my
designed for endurance.”
his own worth. “Fortunately, endurance racing
‘sprinting’ ability and continue to improve
has qualifying sessions, where one can go
there as well. Maybe an opportunity will
It’s important to stress that these add-on
absolutely flat out. As at superbike races, it
arise again and I want to be ready if it
parts should be able to be replaced as
all boils down to the rider; you can and must
does.”
quickly as possible in the event of damage,
give it your all. Doing the perfect lap, knowing
for example due to a crash, so that precious
you’ve gotten out the absolute maximum, that
seconds are not lost during a pit stop. Pit
gives you a lot, it’s a special feeling, a chance
stops are a crucial factor in general and
to show your full potential as a rider.”
2018 European Superstock Champion
The biggest difference: the Superbike World Championship is a pure full-throttle event with a race duration of less than one hour, while the Endurance World Championship lasts a minimum of six and a maximum of twenty-four hours.
2021 FIM EWC Vice-Champions
// Si
// Najvišja raven z različnimi poudarki Čeprav je svetovno prvenstvo v razredu Superbike na prvi pogled popolnoma drugačno od svetovnega prvenstva v vzdržljivostnih dirkah, sta obe tekmovanji velik izziv za dirkače in proizvajalce. Markus Reiterberger pozna oba svetova: 27-letni dirkač je v Mednarodnem nemškem prvenstvu (IDM) osvojil že tri naslove v razredu Superbike in leta 2018 zmagal v evropskem prvenstvu v 1000-kubičnem razredu Superstock. Po nekaj težkih letih v svetovnem prvenstvu v razredu Superbike se je Bavarec dobro znašel v svetovnem prvenstvu v vzdržljivostnih dirkah. V tem svetu se počuti domače – in je tudi zelo uspešen. Zmaga na oktobrski šesturni dirki v Mostu je njemu in ekipi BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team prinesla naslov svetovnega podprvaka. »Svetovno prvenstvo v vzdržljivostnih dirkah je predvsem ekipni šport. Smo trije dirkači, za seboj imamo veliko ekipo, kar pomeni, da vse ne sloni le na dirkačih. Vsak mehanik ali inženir je prav tako vključen v uspeh. Ko je na svetovnem prvenstvu v Superbiku vse pripravljeno, dirkač odloča o vsem,« pravi Reiterberger.
28 / 29
Evolut ion
Evolution
by Primož Jurman photography Marc Robinot
Exhaust Systems in MotoGP
MORE TH A N JUST A PIPE
Ever since the creation of the internal combustion engine, the exhaust system has been seen as its extension, a vent that removes excess engine gases via a set of pipes.
28
29
28
29
The first use of such exhaust valves in the modern era of 4-stroke engine racing motorcycles dates back to 2010 when Aprilia brought an evolution of the 2009 RSV4, sporting an Akrapovič exhaust, onto the WorldSBK stage. 2021 Aprilia RS-GP
Unburned fuel in the shape of exhaust gases
the WorldSBK stage. Later, around 2014,
needs to be discharged from the engine.
Ducati introduced the exhaust valve to
These gases are squeezed out of the cylinder
its Desmosedici, fitting it to a system co-
and through the exhaust valves, travelling to
developed with Akrapovič. Using the exhaust
the manifold and are then, partially cooled,
that was split per cylinder bank, the valve was
vented into the air via various exhaust design
installed on only one branch and thus active on
configurations. With MotoGP motorcycles
one bank. This enabled engineers to fine-tune
becoming increasingly evenly matched and
the effect of the valve in combination with
technically more demanding, engineers keep
other engine strategies. This technology was
looking for and assessing all the ways and
then implemented by most other manufacturers
possibilities to make them even better; one
to offer their riders a wider range of adjusting
of these is improving the performance of the
various parameters. These valves must endure
exhaust. It was believed that a racing exhaust
temperatures of over 900°C and pressures of
system’s function was no different to that of
over 5 bar, while the force on the valve flap can
its road counterparts – to help the engine
exceed 50kg at its highest load.
to ‘breathe’, provide the smoothest possible flow of gasses from the engine and affect its
Another part of the exhaust that uses similar
maximum power, power delivery and torque.
technologies as the exhaust valve are the
However, exhaust systems today not only aid
exhaust manifolds, which are cast from
acceleration, but also braking. Engineers can
titanium. Made from proprietary Akrapovič
now set up the engine’s exhaust valves as an
titanium alloy, the role of the manifold is
additional flow retardation device in order to
to route the extremely hot gases from the
increase negative engine torque at closed
engine head exhaust port into the exhaust
throttle, thereby helping to reduce the speed
itself. Much of the research is spent on
of the rear wheel and thus increase braking
ensuring a perfect blend with the port and its
performance of the bikes.
complex geometry and shape to prevent any disturbance in the flow of gases as they enter
These valves must endure temperatures of over 900°C and pressures over 5 bar,
the manifold, as this could lead to a loss of power. Complex pipe geometry must follow the tightly prescribed space made available by motorcycle manufacturers. All this comes
while the force on the valve
together in the form of a metal sculpture,
flap can exceed 50kg at its
but one with important functional and
highest load.
performance aspects. 2021 MotoGP factory teams using Akrapovič exhausts
The first use of such exhaust valves in
that employ various technical solutions
the modern era of 4-stroke engine racing
include Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Ducati
motorcycles dates back to 2010 when
Lenovo Team, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing,
Aprilia brought an evolution of the 2009
Team Suzuki Ecstar and Monster Energy
RSV4, sporting an Akrapovič exhaust, onto
Yamaha MotoGP.
30
Bike Stuff
Bike Stuff
by Mitja Reven
Akrapovič exhaust systems are designed for riders who demand maximum performance from their motorcycles. They feature exceptional production quality, hi-tech materials, increased engine performance and all come with amazing sound and appearance as standard. The change is also visual, as Akrapovič mufflers perfectly fit the exterior line of modern motorcycles.
30
Yamaha Tracer 9 / GT +1.5kW (+2hp) at 10,000rpm
Vespa GTS Super 300 +0.6kW (+0.8hp) at 7,400rpm
Yamaha YZF-R6 +5.6kW (+7.6hp) at 12,900rpm -5.4kg (-52.5%)
Suzuki GSX-S1000 / 950F +1.9kW (+2.6hp) at 10,250rpm -1kg (-41.6%)
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR +8.2kW (+11.1hp) at 8,550rpm -6.6kg (-56.4%)
Suzuki GSX-1300R Hayabusa +6.5kW (+8.8hp) at 9,900rpm -14kg (-68.2%)
Because of the world-wide distribution of Akrapovič d.d. products, we make no representation that the products shown comply with the air, noise or other emission laws of your jurisdiction. Hence, please make sure you have all the relevant information before you consider purchasing any of the products. You are welcome to contact our local partner in your country if you have any questions or turn to page 4 and our website at www.akrapovic.com for additional information.
31
Car Stuff by Mitja Reven
Car Stuff
Check out the latest Akrapovič aftermarket exhaust systems for cars, where only the best materials and exclusive titanium alloys are used. These materials are combined with high technology and exquisite craftsmanship of Akrapovič welders to create a package that separates them from everything else on the market.
Toyota GR Yaris +9.5kW (+12.9hp) at 6,950rpm, +13Nm at 6,950rpm -4.7kg (-37.4%), Titanium
Audi S3 Sportback/Sedan (8Y) +4kW (+5.4hp) at 4,350rpm, +8.8Nm at 3,900rpm -8.9 kg (-42.5%), Titanium
BMW M3 (G80)/M4 (G82) +8kW (+10.9hp) at 6,000rpm, +13.9Nm at 5,000rpm -8.3kg (-35%), Titanium, Rear Carbon Fiber Diffuser – High Gloss
31
Porsche 911 Turbo/Turbo S (992) +16.6kW (+22.6hp) at 3,400rpm, +46.8Nm at 3,400rpm -9kg (-60.5%), Titanium
32 / 37
Inte r v iew by Jean Turner
Interview
photography Adam Campbell, Marcin Kin / KTM Images
Toby Price – two-time Dakar Rally and FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion
FINDING the way Our eyes were trained on the road
heading into Doffo Winery as we anticipated the arrival of the
two-time Dakar Rally champion. I’m
not sure what we were waiting for,
perhaps a sparkling Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing motorcade worthy of
heralding Toby Price.
32
33
“We’re here and getting set up,” I texted him.
I was kinda hoping/expecting it’d be the
mind, tough on the body, tough on equipment
“I’m here also, just inside,” came the
same when I first went to seniors, but it just
and tough on crews. It’s one of those races
response. I glanced across the driveway to
didn’t happen. I guess I kinda put too much
that’s designed to break man and machine.
the patio and saw a figure perched on a stool
pressure on myself and wanted to be at the
in the far corner, the silhouette of scraggly
top as quickly as possible. Coming out being
hair tufting out from under a flat bill hat.
a 16-year-old kid against 25-year-old guys
I rushed over to greet him, dumbfounded that
that have been doing it for years, I probably
our champion had been patiently waiting the
rushed the process a little bit. I started
whole time we had been scouting out photo
having a lot of injuries and lot of things going
locations on the property.
wrong. It leaves you a little confused as to
“No dramas!” Toby said. He hopped up and
how to fix those problems while not realising
greeted me with a smile and a hug as though
that there were underlying big issues and
we were old friends.
problems – that was the toughest part as a
I had intended to dive deep into the mindset
young kid. It was tough.
of this Australian country kid who followed a path that led him from his humble outback origins to world championship stardom. To hear about how rally racing found him, about 2013, the year that tragedy and opportunity reshaped his career, and how travelling the world has changed his outlook on life. But halfway into our sit-down, the notes I spent so much time preparing sat forgotten
So off-road racing was never
desert race. It seems that was
a very challenging time; did it give you any pause in pursuing rally racing?
Nah, not really. I guess in some way it gave me a bit more of a drive to get into the rally scene.
thought I’d be racing enduro and now rally,
that was the plan, to hopefully chase what he
but I really enjoy it.
was doing. He was such a role model for kids,
It seems rally racing kind of
losing bets with his Dakar Rally teammates.
It was certainly with the help of Kurt Caselli
I could hardly control my own laughter, let
and being able to get my name in the ring.
alone the direction of the conversation. I
But I seemed to be able to gel with it quite
suspect this is not the first time a journalist
quickly. My first rally event in Morocco in
who planned to cut to the core of Toby Price
2014 was basically a trial to see how I felt,
found themselves disarmed by his self-
whether it was something I liked doing. And
deprecating Aussie charm.
yeah, it was not only a race, but an adventure.
“Gotta have a bit of fun along the way,” he
One day’s extremely good and the next day
quipped. “Can’t take life too seriously.”
is going to maybe kick you in the backside.
is where it all kicked off. I was quite dominant
broke your neck in an American
kind of events and Baja races and the Dakar –
Ah, for sure. I think, in a way, it definitely did.
motocross/supercross champion. Motocross
there. That was also the year you
Sometimes no plan’s a good plan. I never
towards tales of his notorious mullet and
It was always the goal and dream to be a
Baja 1000 in 2013 while you were
Once I saw Kurt was going that direction, it
came and found you.
racing career.
of course, tragically died at the
really part of the plan?
on the table, the topic instead meandering
Tell me about your early
You mentioned Kurt Caselli, who,
That’s, I guess, the intriguing part that keeps drawing you back. In 2015 I lined up for
was going to be cool to be doing the same
and even for the guys he was racing against. Kurt really was a driving force to help me not only get into Baja racing, but also get my name in the ring for the Dakar. Yeah, that was a hard one to take, to lose that guy. It just didn’t seem like it was a possibility, just felt like a real nasty out-of-control dream, and you wake up the next day and realise that it wasn’t a dream. A wild time, that’s for sure. It was one of those things that definitely gave me more drive to prove myself, that I was capable of doing rally events. Kurt let the team there know that I was one to keep an eye on to do the Dakar. So that was a driving force to make it happen.
the Dakar; I definitely didn’t know what I had signed myself up for. It was one of the toughest and most gruelling events that I’d ever been through in my life. It’s tough on the
throughout my junior career and then yeah,
34
35
32 / 37
Interview
I have to ask about the haircut. Tell us the story behind it.
That started out as the weirdest, craziest joke between me and my teammate Sam Sunderland. Yeah, the haircut basically started from him making a bet saying that I wouldn’t get a mullet, and he said, “I’ll pay for the cut if you get a mullet.” I said, “Sweet. Done deal.” So we found a picture on Google images. We’re in Spain in Barcelona at the time, so we couldn’t get the translation across well enough by saying “a mullet,” so we showed him a picture of a dude with a mullet and just said, “Same.” Next thing, he replicated it perfectly [laughs] and it all kinda started. It was only supposed to be on there for about a week and I could have shaved it off and just got a normal haircut. But I don’t know, everyone just laughed at it and it cracked them up. So I thought, “Yeah, I’ll just run it for a little bit longer.” It’s now probably… we’re going on five years. Five years I’ve had it now! It’s the longest-ever relationship I’ve held, so we’re doing quite well! [laughs]
“2017 didn’t go too well.
I broke a femur. And that
was the end of the run. But it is what it is. We gotta
take the good with the bad and the bad with the good. How it kinda rolls.”
32 / 37
Interview
// Si
// Toby Price, dvakratni zmagovalec na reliju Dakar med motociklisti Toby Price, 34-letni avstralski motociklist, se od leta 2004 poklicno ukvarja z dirkanjem. Od leta 2015 tekmuje v ekipi Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, s katero je v letih 2016 in 2019 zmagal na reliju Dakar med motociklisti. Novinarka Jean Turner se je z Avstralcem srečala v vinariji Doffo v dolini Temecula v Kaliforniji. Med pogovorom se je nameravala poglobiti v misli mladeniča iz avstralskega zaledja, ki je prehodil pot od skromnih začetkov do zvezdnika. Želela je izvedeti, kako je pristal v reliju, kako je leto 2013, v katerem je doživel tragedijo, spremenilo njegovo kariero in kako so potovanja po svetu spremenila njegov odnos do življenja. Toda na polovici pogovora so zapiski, za katere je porabila veliko časa, obležali na mizi in tema pogovora je vijugala med zgodbami o njegovi razvpiti pričeski »Vokuhila« in izgubljeni stavi z moštvenimi kolegi na reliju Dakar. Jean je s težavo krotila smeh in bila daleč od tega, da bi nadzorovala potek pogovora. Zdi se ji, da gotovo ni bila prva novinarka, ki jo je razorožil dirkačev avstralski šarm, poln samoironije. »Pri vsem dogajanju se moraš tudi malo zabavati,« se je pošalil Toby. »Življenja ne smeš jemati preveč resno.«
And then, of course, you
returned in 2016 and won the
whole thing! I read one of the
interviews you did after that and you said, “I can’t be clear on how or why it’s happened.” Is that something you think
about – the why behind things? Um… yeah. Sometimes. All things happen for a reason, somehow. You definitely sit there and question yourself and whatever happens in the world – why did it happen,
“In 2015 I lined up for the
but I don’t know. You just gotta make that assumption that there’s a plan ahead and
Dakar; I definitely didn’t
things happen for a reason. You’re in these
know what I had signed
dangerous elements every single minute after throwing a leg over that motorcycle,
myself up for. It was one
but if your mind’s not on the job of what
of the toughest and most
you’re doing at that time, it definitely can be a different outcome for you. You gotta try to put that behind you and not think about it too much and take each day as it comes and
Dakar Rally 2019
make each day count.
I’d ever been through in
my life. It’s tough on the
You had already established
mind, tough on the body,
yourself on the Australian
tough on equipment and
off-road scene, but winning
Dakar is a whole new level of
tough on crews.”
mainstream fame. What was that like for you?
My first Dakar in 2015, I finished third,
gruelling events that
Dakar Rally 2016
so I was on the podium there. For myself it was 100% unexpected. I knew I could ride a motorcycle but I didn’t know the fundamentals of that whole event and how it operates, so to pull that off, it definitely blew me away, and a lot of other people as well. The 2016 season came around and I signed with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rally team and I came into that one going, “Gosh, I hope this first one in 2015 wasn’t a fluke.” To just rock up the first time and get on the podium, it’s basically unheard of and I was like, “I wonder if this has all been a fluke and if I’m gonna do terrible in this next one.” But I knew I’d done the training and the riding, and I knew I could ride the motorcycle. It was just, you gotta have a lot of things go right for you in that space of time as well. It all came in 2016 when we won, yeah.
all the things I needed organised prior to
That was my goal and that was what I set
the event and just getting enough hydration
out to do and I did it, and I don’t expect any
and food. All the media stuff basically piles
less.” I’m just not that person.
on top of you and yeah, 2017 didn’t go too
I came from a town with a population of
well. I broke a femur and that was the end
1,000 people, and literally all the way
of the run. But it is what it is. We gotta take
through school my teachers would say,
the good with the bad and the bad with the
“Ah, motorcycles will never take you
good. How it kinda rolls.
anywhere.” To make that kind of all turn
It’s interesting to hear
someone of your calibre speak with such humility. Because there’s so many guys that
would say, “Hell yeah, I won.
That’s what I went there to do.” It seems you have a much more
Then the way I approached the race
down-to-earth mentality.
completely changed. When I came back
[Laughs] Yeah, for sure. I’ve raced
in 2017, there was literally no break. There
motorcycles and won a lot of
was no rest. There were hundreds of people
championships, but it doesn’t make me any
and it was super exciting to see so many
different to a person that I walk past on the
fans and see how excited they were to see
street. Everyone’s always said I’m pretty
me, but yeah, I think that year put me off a
humble and down-to-earth on everything
little bit. Not in the preparation, but while
I’ve achieved, but I don’t know. I just don’t
I was there, I probably just wasn’t getting
see myself as that cocky person to go, “Yep.
around now, and basically since 16, 17 years of age, make it a job that keeps me alive and keeps me going, I’m very lucky to be doing what I’m doing. There’s no use being cocky and up yourself about it because it could all be taken away in the blink of an eyelid. So yeah. Live while you can and have fun while you’re doing it.
36
37
F A N T A S T I C by Alenka Birk
RED MOON Prada Luna Rossa Ocean, the new masculine fragrance from Prada, is built on the conviction that technology can serve as an extension of humanity, help us overcome our limitations and discover new horizons. Showing us how to do just that is Jake Gyllenhaal, the face of the new campaign. As the personification of a modern adventure seeker, the American actor combines physical and intellectual strength with mastery over technology and innovation, skilfully using both to improve himself and what he does. On board the Luna Rossa sailing yacht, Jake exceeds his own expectations and sails towards the ethereal red supermoon. The fragrance is marked by fernlike and leathery tones, while the bottle represents a dive into the ocean’s depths.
prada.com
38
S K E L E T O N WAT C H Look closely at the face of this special skeleton watch and marvel at the moving parts visible through its open dial. The Zenith Defy Classic draws inspiration from last century’s original Defy collection, while looking daringly towards the future. It is part of a new collection defined by its retro-futuristic faceted tonneau-shaped case, which presents the perfect housing for exceptionally manufactured movements. Available in steel, titanium, gold or ceramic, the integrated bracelets match the geometric form and the satin brushed and polished finishes of the sharp case.
zenith-watches.com
INSPIRED BY A LEGEND Motorsport has been at the core of Yamaha Motor Co. since its founding, and to commemorate six decades of Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing, Yamaha Motor Europe and Cantieri Capelli unveiled a special rigid inflatable boat, inspired by the legendary Yamaha GP livery, at the prestigious Genova Boat Show. The boat is powered by a single 250hp V6 engine personalised with anniversary colours. The elegant, sleek and lightweight design of the new V6 engines presents the most feature-rich V6 range Yamaha has ever produced. Featuring Digital Electric Steering and Yamaha’s exclusive Total Tilt function, among others, the new range is complimented by stunning new looks inspired by Yamaha’s flagship XTO powerhouse.
yamaha-motor.eu
38 / 39
Fantastic
POPPED, NOT STIRRED! Ever wondered what to eat when watching your favourite Bond movie? Wonder no more, as we present the first ever 007-inspired James Bond Dry Martini Popcorn. Enjoy 007’s iconic cocktail, only popped, not stirred, and with a license to thrill! The popcorn by Joe & Seph’s is hand coated in smooth caramel, seductively infused with five percent real gin and vodka and a twist of zesty lemon. Just perfect for watching Daniel Craig in his latest and final Bond outing, No Time to Die.
joeandsephs.co.uk
E L E VAT E D C L A S S I C 3 - S T R I P E S A sleek trench coat with a sophisticated, sporty edge from Adidas is the new must have! The Blue Version Trench Coat is made from archival fabrics that are recalibrated to the highest quality, and is one of the most sustainable coats the brand has ever put out. A bold take on the familiar silhouette, this trench coat fuses iconic tricot track top material with signature styles from the past to create two icons in one. On the back, graphics of a former Adidas-sponsored club can be found in a premium flock execution, a proud homage to its sporty roots. Elevated with classic 3-Stripes and micro trefoil branding in white, this one-of-a-kind coat was born to turn heads.
adidas.co.uk
39
BOOTS WITH STUDS Meet one special pair of shoes, made so you can do more while combining contemporary design with practicality. Made in Italy, Anti-Slip Outsole is an innovative advancement in footwear that allows you to tackle multiple different terrains and seasons with confidence. Its high-traction studs provide grip on slippery surfaces such as ice, snow, mud and any uphill terrain, are bolted securely to endure longevity and are naturally rust proof. When retracted, the studs are fully concealed and flush with the outsole. You can easily extend or retract them with a specially designed key included in a matching holster, stored in every boot for easy access. Weather proof and stylishly versatile, these shoes will let you take on whatever the day throws at you.
4x4outsole.com
Ride With Us
40 / 45
Ride With Us
In the footsteps of Ljubelj hill climb race on a Ducati Multistrada V4 S
“DON’T CUT CORNERS!”
by Matevž Hribar photography Bor Dobrin, Archive Miro Hrast
Full natural stands in 1959. In the photo: Edvard Čuden on Tomos SGSS 250.
Miro‘s advice was definitely on point as I arrived on a shiny brand new four-cylinder Multistrada to tackle the old road to Ljubelj mountain pass. Racers have a habit of constantly seeking the shortest possible racing line, but that was most certainly not advisable on the road with an average incline of 14%, reaching as much as 32% in some places and with a macadam surface that was not not in tip-top shape either...
40
41
40 / 45
Ride With Us
Where to begin? Let us forego chronology
to contest the slope. But who could have
for the moment and start with geography. The
guessed that his BMW would be unable to
Karavanke (Karawanks) is a 120-kilometre-
complete the route in the allotted time. To
long mountain range that forms a natural
remedy the issue, local Mirko Hrast gave him
boundary between Slovenia and Austria. I
a differential that was suited for shorter gear
have climbed most of the range’s peaks on
ratios in an act of camaraderie. “After the
foot and on touring skis and I can attest that
race Hillebrand came and asked my father
the inclines are decidedly vehicle unfriendly.
what he could give him in return, to which
But since industrially and commercially
my father replied that he wanted nothing and
important cities like Tržič and Ljubljana lie
that racers were there to help each other. So
to the south, with the major port of Trieste
Hillebrand gave him his helmet,” explained
not too much further away, while Klagenfurt,
Miro Hrast who, using the very same helmet,
followed by Graz, Salzburg and, ultimately,
his father’s motorbike and his wife Anka as
Vienna are all found to the north, it becomes
co-pilot, still participates in vintage road
clear that people simply had to traverse the
races to the top of Ljubelj pass.
range - and not only on foot or by donkey. Therefore, it will probably not come as a surprise that carved Roman inscriptions were found at the 1,369-metre pass, which offers the shortest route between the Ljubljana President of the Yugoslav Automobile Association at the top of Ljubelj in 1937.
and Klagenfurt basins. The two distinctive obelisks at its top were, however, erected later, in 1728, when Emperor Charles VI crossed over the pass. Until a tunnel was constructed lower down during WWII, Ljubelj was considered the steepest pass in the entire Alps, but that section of the road is now closed to traffic.
Austrian Alfred Pruckner (BSA) and Serb Milivoj Božič (Porsche) in 1960.
A demanding route you say? Let’s go racing! The Ljubelj pass hill climb race itself was first held in 1926 with 44 competitors (including six motorcycles and three with sidecars) taking part. The race was won by Josip Pogačar from Ljubljana on an AJS, who completed the 10-kilometre climb in 10 minutes and 16 seconds. Not bad, huh? In 1934, the first female competitor, Hanja
International cast: Australians Ray and Jean Foster on the 500cc Norton.
Bošković, took part on a Puch, while five years later racers had to qualify for the first time - those who could not complete the course in less than 6 minutes and 30 seconds were not allowed to take part. In that same year, Europe began to turn into a battlefield and in 1941 the German army invaded the then Yugoslavia across Ljubelj.
After the war
Some hairpins are so steep that they will make your eyes bulge as you keep repeating, “I can do it, I can do it.”
Can the race be safe? The archives of the Tržič Auto-Moto Association reveal that 50,000 spectators came to see the 1957 race. “Alongside ski jumping in Planica, this was the biggest sport event in the country. Association members went from house to house in the weeks before the race, asking the locals to provide lodging to the competitors. So the racers slept on couches, benches, even on the floor. Still others stayed the night in Ljubljana before taking off towards Ljubelj in a loud morning motorcade. Spectators also spent the night on and under the tables, hoping that one of the trucks would take them to the race in the morning. If they had no such luck, they walked. Five kilometres to the start and ten to the finish. And walk they did: all the turns were full of fans! Well, except for the ones closest to the finish line, as only commissioners, timekeepers, journalists and racers were allowed to get right to the border. In addition to police and customs officers, members of the Yugoslav secret police were also always at the top,” Miro recalls. Were there any accidents? If you were to brake poorly at any turn, would falling into the precipice mean certain death? “No, there was never a severe accident. Although the fastest racers reached up to 140km/h on the section passing the church. Well, in 1957, Erwin Orsario, one of the favourites, overturned in training just before the finish line, his motorbike tumbling down into the valley
-
below while he rolled over the line breaking a
The locals restarted the race in 1949, though
finger. Austrian doctors were quick to the spot,
the finish line was no longer at the pass
but he said he trusted the Yugoslavian ones
itself, but lower down, sufficiently far from the
just fine and let them bandage his finger.”
heavily guarded border. All the competitors
The race was held on the old road for the
at the restart came from Yugoslavia and used
last time in 1961. Instead of the roar of
old pre-war machines. The turning point
two- and four-stroke racing machines, the
came in 1953, when the FIA and FIM decided
valley witnessed the rumble of construction
that the route was suitable for international
equipment that was building a new, wider road
competitions and the attendance list grew:
connecting the valley to the tunnel. The tunnel
74 racers took part, with Yugoslavians being
itself was built during WWII by a thousand
joined by Italians, Austrians, Germans, Swiss,
prisoners of war, alongside an eight-hundred
French and even Argentines.
strong German workforce. The 1.5-km long
This was also the year when Friedrich
passage at 1,069 metres above sea level
Hillebrand, later a BMW factory racer, came
was originally dug out in 1944, but numerous
42
43 The road is now closed to traffic; we thundered some surprised hikers on it. To prepare the article, we had special permission to drive up and down the road.
Today, Miro continues the racing tradition with his wife Anka as a co-driver.
Multiple winner Friedrich Hillebrand at the top in the company of Yugoslav security authorities (in the background). Miro Hrast still keeps the helmet that Hillebrand gave to his father Mirko.
border-related issues meant it wasn’t fully
place since 1994 on the final and steepest
completed until 1963. The new road was in
two-kilometre section of the route. It was
part built on top of the old racing route, the
named the Hrast Memorial in 1996 in
remainder was left to tree roots. You can still
memory of the late Mirko Hrast. While it is
hike on the final section, which starts to the
hard to believe, it was not the countless race
right of the tunnel entrance, while in the winter
kilometres, but a tick bite that proved fatal
you can take a sled in the opposite direction to
for the Ljubelj veteran. The race was not
that which the racers once took.
organised in 2020 and 2021 due to youknow-what, but fans of racing on the dusty
Ljubelj becomes an open-air museum once a year. A loud one!
Mirko and Miro Hrast, father and son, last time together in an antiques race. Mirko is 84 years old!
track are determined not to let the thunder die out just yet. When he found out that I was going to
-
navigate the old route on a new Ducati, he
But roaring has not yet died out on the old
said, “Don’t cut corners because you will
gravel road. A vintage race for cars and
fall or lose traction in the sand.
bikes built before 1961 has been taking
It’s steep as hell.”
40 / 45
Ride With Us
DUCATI MULTISTRADA V4 S: Machine from another planet Taming a 218-kilogram (net weight) bike with 125 kW (170hp) on gravel is not exactly a walk in the park. I didn’t even think of starting up a stopwatch to see how my time would compare to the old bangers with three to four times less horsepower driving their back wheels. In the end, I was also quite pleased that my bike came with traction control. The Multistrada, although having much more power than the road tyres were able to transfer to the loose surface, is both competent and pleasant to ride on with a moderate speed on the poor-quality macadam. But there is no denying that the bike is much more at home on winding asphalt roads like the ones found below the pass. When you allow its sporty heart to beat with full force, your brain slams into the back of the helmet, and the big screen starts showing numbers you don’t want recorded by a police officer’s radar. Speaking of radar: Multistrada has one too. Radar cruise control works flawlessly. While I can well imagine that the bike’s Italian designers may not have been entirely satisfied when told to install the radar cube into the front panel, they did a good job. After all, it is what it is - we must keep up with the times. Even us motorcyclists.
Janez Kermavner and Mirko Hrast in a 750cc BMW at the finish line of the 1957 Ljubelj race.
44
45
// Si
// Z Ducatijem Multistrado V4 S po sledeh gorske dirke na Ljubelj: »Ne sekaj ovinkov!« Dirkači imamo to navado, da iščemo čim krajšo linijo. A Mirov nasvet je bil tokrat na mestu: cesta na stari prelaz Ljubelj postreže s povprečno 14-, mestoma pa s kar 32-odstotnim naklonom. Na ne ravno lepem makadamu. Jaz pa na bleščeči, povsem novi štirivaljni Multistradi ... Zgodba opisuje zgodovino dirke, ki je po številu gledalcev tekmovala s smučarskimi skoki v Planici, prekinitev zaradi vojne in oživitev tradicije s Hrastovim memorialom, na katerem lahko sodelujejo dirkači z motocikli, izdelanimi v časih prvotne dirke na Ljubelj.
Story
by Volker Hirth photography Bor Dobrin and Oskar Bakke
M a rc P h i l i p p G e m b a l l a a n d t h e M a r s i e n
MAKER OF DREAMS COME TRUE
Technology. Design. Power. Sound. When a man dreams, and in this case it’s just a man, he does his utmost to make the dream come true. Marc Philipp Gemballa, 27 years young, chic apartment, fine fleet of cars in front of the house... The first impression is definitely of someone who doesn’t need to work. Far from it! The young, blond male looks like a business student, and that is because he once was one. But that is the only cliché he fulfils. Otherwise, he is a self-made man who produces dream cars. Very limited in number and extremely special vehicles, with an unusual name - Marsien.
46 / 49 Story
46
47
46 / 49 Story
His career could well have been shaped
improving the sound and performance while
by his father, but after he tragically died
reducing weight. The result is a unique
11 years ago, Marc was left on his own to
vehicle that feels as comfortable in the
fulfil his dreams. His father’s death was a
desert as it does on the Champs-Élysées
nightmare and served as a rude wake-up
or Rodeo Drive. This versatility is made
call. Suddenly his carefree adolescence was
possible by a unique hydraulic system that
over. What is one to do, if being surrounded
can adjust the ground clearance between
by dream cars and dream trips up until
115 and 250mm with the press of a button.
then? “There wasn’t a vacation where
The specs are stunning. The full carbon body
roads didn’t play a role,” smiles the young
hides a roaring six-cylinder biturbo engine
entrepreneur. Whether in the USA, Thailand
with 551kW (750hp) (RUF can bring that
or the Emirates, a vacation was business in a
up to 610kW (830hp) on request), 930Nm
dreamlike setting. So, what was there to stop
of torque, a top speed of 335km/h, 2.6
Gemballa Jr from continuing as Gemballa 2.0
seconds from 0 to 100km/h and 7.8 seconds
so to speak? Today the company is called
from a standstill to 200km/h. Only rarely do
Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH and is not
such limited edition super cars cost less than
connected at all to his father’s outfit. What
one million euros, but the base 911 (992)
remains is the DNA, inherited from his father
Turbo S will cost around 220,000 EUR, while
Uwe, who was for some two decades one of
Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH will charge
the most renowned designers and tuners of
another 495,000 EUR for the all-round and
already noble automobiles. To this day, his
interior refinement, plus VAT, of course.
masterpiece remains the Gemballa Mirage GT, based on the legendary Porsche GT.
It is a world-class car. But the world very
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, the
rarely gets to see it. The Marsien is limited
son-in-law of the ruler of Sharjah, a small
to 40 units. Demand is much higher. More
emirate of the UAE, owns a Mirage, and
than a hundred other interested parties
as Marc Philipp Gemballa was looking for
would immediately be prepared to make
a desert to evaluate his own masterpiece,
room for it in their garage, customers
the sheikh decided to invite him. For three
who place the highest value on precision,
months ‘Project Sandbox’ was put through
high tech, performance and, furthermore,
its paces across the deserts of Sharjah. The
exclusivity. Marc Philipp didn’t think for a
results were excellent, and so was the video
second about succumbing to the temptation
(marcphilippgemballa.com/launchfilm).
to increase production. “The customer wants exclusivity, and I guarantee it,” the
The Al Fayah desert almost bizarrely
young entrepreneur remains steadfast. Just
resembles our solar system’s red planet,
as his father was. The travels of the 27-year-
and it was its impressive vistas that
old have taken him all over the world. He
suggested the name: Marsien. The project
was on the road constantly for almost
had outgrown the sandbox and turned into
two years. Packing a tuxedo? No, T-shirts
a supercar without an equal, though it did
and jeans. “I’m not a suit kind of guy.” The
have a role model. In 1986 the legendary
photos are still on the floor. No time to
Porsche 959 won the toughest of all rallies,
hang them up yet. It’s no coincidence that
the Paris-Dakar. This ultimate challenge for
the portrait of his masterpiece stands next
all long-distance freaks is now known as the
to the picture of a Mirage, the showpiece
Dakar Rally and takes place in Saudi Arabia.
from his father’s era. Would his father be
The rear of the 959 is strikingly similar to
proud of him? “I don’t know. But I think he
that of the Marsien. “You think so?” grins
would have built a car similar to mine today.”
Marc Philipp. “Some say so, others say not.”
Marc Philipp created the Marsien, but he
The 959 was also developed on the 911
took cues from his potential customers.
platform. Its basis is a Porsche 911 Turbo
What exactly do they want? What hasn’t
S, part of the current 992 series. Anyone
been done before? What do they dream of?
who wants a Marsien must buy this car
Their answers are perfectly embodied in the
from Porsche and then hand it over to the
Marsien, and so, instead of being moulded
artisans at Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH.
by his father, Marc Philipp Gemballa has
The most renowned design and engineering
chosen his own path. He became somebody
companies in the industry engage in the
unique because of what he does. He makes
makeover. RUF is called in for engine
dreams come true.
development, KW is the suspension and chassis partner and Akrapovič developed a new exhaust system for the Marsien,
48
49
If you want a Marsien, you have to buy a 911 Turbo S and then hand it over to the artisans at Marc Philipp Gemballa GmbH.
The Marsien is limited to 40 units. Demand is much higher. More than a hundred other interested parties would immediately be prepared to make room for it in their garage.
50 / 55 Adventure
Advent ure
A magical ride trough Patagonia to Ushuaia
N
EXT STOP:
THE END OF THE WORLD
50
51
Text and photography by Federico Tondelli
There has always been something magical for me in getting to the very end of a road, where the wheels must stop because there’s no more land to explore and one gets overwhelmed by the feeling of having accomplished some extraordinary adventure. Despite riding in Patagonia being less dangerous and demanding nowadays than it was even just a few years ago, tough weather conditions and tricky gravel roads still represent a challenge for European travellers used to finding gas stations at every corner and sleeping in comfortable hotels every night.
ROUTE PLANNING
by having to take an 80km detour for an
Being busy with my regular job until the end of
Carretera Austral. Refuelling is serious
November, we had to squeeze our adventure between the final roar of the MotoGP season and the tinkling of the Christmas bells. My good friend Euto Mandalari and I left home
emergency refuel before finally joining the business here, so you cannot afford to miss any chances.
on December 1st on a 21-day schedule
RIPIO AND RAIN
to complete a journey that I wanted to be
Carretera Austral is General Pinochet’s road,
something more than just endless miles of
linking Puerto Montt in the northern part of
hardcore riding; for me this was going to be
Southern Chile, to Villa O’Higgins further down
about visiting some well-known sites, some
the country and provides vistas of beautiful,
lesser-known ones and mixing with the locals.
temperate rainforest. It differs from Ruta 40 by
Our trip began in the small city of Osorno, a
being a much smaller road and it runs through
couple of hours by plane south of Santiago de
the Andes rather than skirting them, meaning
Chile, where we collected our two remaining
that those travelling on it will not be protected
companions – a 2017 Suzuki V-Strom 1000XT
from the rain by the mountains’ shadow, but
and a 650cc version. The plan was to head
rather ride straight through downpours! On
east, cross into Argentina and visit the Seven
the way to Coyhaique, we stopped to admire
Lakes region, then turn southwards and join
Ventisquero Colgante, a peculiar glacier
the mythical Ruta 40 which runs 5,200km
located in Queulat National Park, that hangs
from the north to the south of Argentina,
from the mountain and whose melted waters
mostly in the shadow of the Andes, and which
feed a cold lake that was frozen still in the
in many ways reminds one of its Chilean
1970s. A worthy detour before heading farther
counterpart, the Carretera Austral, just with
south for another 300km. Be aware though
less rain. We crossed the Andes five times in
that riding conditions can be pretty bad in
total before planting our tyres square onto the
wet weather and some of the steep mountain
famous flats of the Pampa, all the way down to
sections feature tight hairpins, which can be
the Tierra del Fuego.
a challenge on heavily loaded bikes. You also need to take care when cutting corners as
OFF WE GO Clear blue skies and still air awaited us in San Martin de Los Andes, where we got our first taste of off-road riding on the two heavily loaded V-Stroms. The 140km stretch
trucks can often be coming from the opposite direction and their brakes, as well as their sobriety, might sometimes be a bit suspect!
THAT’S WHY WE CAME HERE
on Ruta 63 and Ruta 237 featured one of the
Another 85km later we got one of the most
thinnest dusts I’ve experienced, a light and
iconic sights of the whole trip: the Mirador
fluffy talcum powder that stayed in our eyes
Cerro Castillo, which while not much of a climb,
until we reached San Carlos de Bariloche,
offers six perfectly designed switchbacks which
a rich yolk surrounded by a poor egg white
come straight out of a postcard.
of a slum. The excitement of being back on
An extra 132km along the road and we arrived
the magical Ruta 40 pumped us with enough
at Puerto Rio Tranquilo, our designated stop
adrenaline to ride the 300km to Esquel and
for the day, but we felt like we could definitely
survive our first experience with the wind – a
do some more riding, so we unpacked and
serious challenge in Patagonia. It’s constant
took off for Glaciar Exploradores, a 100km
and it’s dangerous, as it blows down from
return trip that was a perfect chance to enjoy
the Andes after having been charged-up as
some serious sliding and drifting with our
it climbs the Chilean side and reaches the
luggage-less V-Stroms on a compact and flat
Pampa with gusts of more than 100km/h,
ripio. The small village owes its notoriety to
requiring you to ride at a 30-degree angle to
being the base for exploring the Capillas de
keep heading straight.
Marmol, incredible caves and rock formations
From Esquel we headed to Chile through the
that reflect the bright blue and green waters of
Futaleufu checkpoint (where we had one of
General Carrera Lake - definitely a must if you
the usual fights with bureaucracy about papers
find yourself nearby.
and documents), getting to the border on a
A gravel road with a perfect grip and wonderful
‘ripio’ (unpaved) road that was nothing less
scenery took us the 165km to Chile Chico and
than stunning, due to the beautiful flowers
from there across the border with Argentina
blooming in intense yellow, embellishing the
to Perito Moreno, where we joined Ruta 40
roadside. The road from Futaleufu to Villa
again for the 355km long leg to Gobernador
Santa Lucia was quite magical, a true dirt road
Gregores. This section of road is long,
running alongside the Futaleufu River, one of
desolate and windy, everything you expect
Chile’s best white-water rafting rivers, with
from this legendary route. Fuel stops are
majestic sights hidden behind every corner in
close to the limit of a bike’s range, and the
an endless series of wows.
only option in that isolated land are the Bajo
We paid for being focused on all that beauty,
Caracoles: sticker-filled fuel pumps standing
52
53
50 / 55 Adventure
“You can ride for several miles without meeting anyone. I remember that day when we were on the way to Gobernador Gregores: I could count only 40 other vehicles on our 350km leg.”
outside single-floor buildings under a HOTEL sign, which also serves as a restaurant, a bar and a local shop and where you can find literally everything you need to survive. It was a long and mentally stressful day, and there was a massive sense of achievement when we
POWDER
START RUTA 40
arrived, dusty and wind battered.
RUTA 40
PANTING, HIKING AND EXPLORING
FUEL
“A journey that we wanted to be something more than just endless miles of hardcore riding.”
Tres Lagos is nothing more than another fuel station in the middle of nowhere, but it looks
GAUCHOS
like an oasis in the desert when you arrive panting from the 174km long Dakar-style deep
MIRADOR
gravel through Estancia La Lucia. The stickercovered shop marks the return to paved roads that lead to El Chalten, 300km south-west of
EXPLORADORES
CAPILLAS DE MARMOL
Gobernador Gregores, another great place to stop for a couple of days, especially if
SANTA THEMA
you have the intention to climb the famous Mount Fitz Roy - as we did. The city also has some nice microbreweries to refresh yourself afterwards and to wash down the ubiquitous
DEEP GRAVEL
FITZ ROY
Argentine steaks. From here, it’s on to El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier, which is truly spectacular. Not only do you lose the sense of time watching the impressive ice wall from the observatory
PERITO MORENO
HARD ENDURO LAKE PEHOE
deck, but the experience of taking a walk on the crispy surface and sipping whiskey with a
WIND & COLD
400-year-old ice cube is mesmerising. A hard enduro road then led us on a 268km ride to Puerto Natales, where we left the luggage at the hotel and took a 238km return trip that delved deep into the astonishing
THE END
PENGUINS FLAMINGOS FALL ASLEEP
mountains, rushing rivers and raging waterfalls of Torres del Paine National Park.
IN SIGHT OF TIERRA DEL FUEGO Leaving Torres del Paine meant heading as far south in Chile as you can go, through a cold, windy and desolate land all the way to Punta Arenas and from there, on the shore of the Strait of Magellan, you are in sight of Tierra del Fuego and the last leg of the southbound journey, the road to Ushuaia. As soon as you get off the ferry and land on the island, you really feel that it’s the last part of the adventure, but the struggles are far from over. The 452km long paved road has incredible grip, but the wind blows hard and cold, thus resulting in a true test of mental strength. But hard as that could be, it couldn’t ruin the explosion of pride and happiness that I felt deep in my heart while riding the final 23km from Ushuaia to Bahia Lapataia, where we had been heading to for the whole journey. ‘Aqui finaliza la Ruta Nac. N°3’, say the letters in yellow on the wooden sign, marking the end to our adventure. ‘Alaska 17,848 km’, the letters in yellow proclaim again. Is this really the end?
END OF THE WORLD
USHUAIA
50 / 55 Adventure
54
55
// Si NASLEDNJI POSTANEK: KONEC SVETA Zame je bilo vedno čarobno znajti se na koncu ceste, kjer se kolesa morajo ustaviti, saj drugače pod njimi zmanjka zemlje za nadaljnje raziskovanje, in kjer človeka prevzame občutek, da se je ravnokar končala izjemna pustolovščina. Čeprav je vožnja po Patagoniji danes manj nevarna in zahtevna kot pred nekaj leti, so težavne vremenske razmere in zahtevne makadamske ceste še vedno izziv za popotnike, ki so navajeni bencinskih črpalk za vsakim vogalom in spanja v udobnih hotelih. A kljub zahtevnosti te poti prav nič ni moglo pokvariti eksplozije ponosa in sreče, ki sem ju čutil globoko v sebi, ko sem prevozil še zadnjih 23 km od Ushuaie do Bahie Lapataie, resnično končnega cilja najinega potovanja. Aqui finaliza la Ruta Nac. N°3 (sl.: Tu se konča državna cesta št. 3) piše z rumenimi črkami na leseni tabli, ki označuje konec najine pustolovščine. Alaska 17,848 km (sl.: Aljaska 17.848 km) je zapisano pod njimi. Ali sem res na koncu poti?
Evolut ion
56 / 59
Evolution
Japanese tuning cars
IT’S ALL ABOUT LOOK AND SPEED
THE by Kentaro Hiroshima Translated from Japanese by Sonia Ito
photography Option, Profimedia, Superfly-autos.com, Souki
The Inner Circular Route of the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway is a 14.8km ringroad with numerous junctions and merging sections. Although still used sporadically by street racers, their ranks have thinned dramatically since 2018, when the authorities initiated continuous large-scale patrols at numerous checkpoints. This, coupled with the fact that street racing with tuned cars is illegal in Japan, it has been said that the number of street racers has dropped to less than a tenth of what it was at its peak. Despite this, there are still numerous people who tune and tweak their vehicles, and it‘s not just about speed!
There is actually only a handful of racers
have to worry about eating,” said a man who
keep up even in such extreme corners. Even
who seriously venture onto the Tokyo
used to race on the expressway on average
though there are no straights on the C1, we
Metropolitan Expressway (C1). Most of the
three times a week. The route’s sharp
can reach top speeds of 300km/h,” said the
enthusiasts who say they go there to ‘run’,
curves require a car with excellent driving
enthusiastic, nearly 50-year-old man and
actually only gather on its parking areas
performance, and its overall balance is
continued, “about 20-years-ago, there was
on weekend evenings with their friends,
more important than its power. That stability
a time when you would encounter only one
cruise along and discuss all things four
depends on the suspension set-up that
or two non-racing cars during a full lap on
wheels in front of their beloved supercars.
determines this balance. The man, whose
the expressway, and the local police were
“I used to spend about 200,000 yen (EUR
favourite machine is the 600hp Nissan GT-R
probably not as strict as they are now. At
1,500) a month on petrol alone. Most of
(BNR34), said, “There are a few corners
that time, I thought of the C1 as a racing
what I earned was spent on fuel, so the first
where the car jumps because of the speed
circuit. There is nothing more exciting than
thing I did when I got paid was buy a box
you’re going at. You cannot go fast on C1
the speed and thrill you can experience there
of cup noodles. That way, at least I didn’t
unless the car has a suspension that can
and that’s why I keep driving on it.”
56
57
58
59
“I used to spend about 200,000 yen (EUR 1,500) a month on petrol alone. Most of what I earned went to fuel, so the first thing I did when I got paid was buy a box of cup noodles. That way, at least I didn’t have to worry about eating,“ said a man who used to race on the expressway on average three times a week.
300km/h – the Holy Grail -
Tuning in Japan goes back to the 1970s. In those days, tuning itself was illegal in the country, so boosting the engine, lowering the ground clearance or changing the muffler were all subject to fines. Even so, there was no end to the number of car enthusiasts seeking power and speed, so even though it was an underground activity, tuning slowly spread throughout Japan. Why the desire to modify a car to increase its power? That’s not a difficult question to answer. The enthusiasts simply wanted to go faster. From the late-1970s to the mid-
swing in the country and ‘top class’ machines
aerodynamic kits. The performance of these
were able to reach 250–260km/h – almost
two guys is basically identical. Akira and
as fast as the American cars with their much
Koji, known locally as the ‘One-Eighty Twins’,
larger engines. It was not so easy to reach
are both famous drifters in their mid-thirties.
300km/h however, which was the Holy Grail
“We’ve known each other since elementary
of the fastest drivers of that time. The first to
school. We know what the other is thinking,
break the barrier was racing driver Kunimitsu Takahashi, who took his Mitsunaga Pantera SPL with its 600hp mid-mounted 7.7-litre V6 Chevrolet LS7 to an impressive 307.69km/h in November 1981. This was a memorable first 300km/h-plus machine in Japan, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that Japan’s tuning pioneers were all about maximum speed until the mid-1980s.
1980s, such tuned cars would gather at night to race on public roads in what was commonly called the ‘Tomei Race’. The name comes from the Tomei Expressway,
and I think we understand each other better than anyone else,” Akira said. “I used to be a knee dragging motorbike kid. I started driving a car on the seven turns of the Nanamagari when I was eighteen, right after I got my car license. I started out with a Nissan Silvia and a 180SX, but after an accident, I switched exclusively to the 180SX.” “We both live at the base of this mountain pass, so we come here eight-days-a-week to drift,” Koji says laughingly. For them, drifting is a hobby and a
The daring drifters -
way to relieve stress from work. The highlight of the event is their twin drifting, reminiscent of a D1GP tandem chase, but taking place
one of Japan’s major highways and also an
It was also around this time that drifting came
important logistical artery connecting Tokyo
into focus as the new hot thing in driving. It
to Nagoya. The illegal race tested who could
has remained popular ever since, as proved
keeping a very close distance, synchronised
drive the 25km from the Ebina service area
by the two white Nissan 180SX’s which show
and almost touching. This is a feat that can
to the Tokyo toll gate in the shortest time.
up every day at the Nanamagari road in the
only be accomplished by two people who
The most important factor was speed. At that
mountains of Hakone. Although equipped
trust each other completely and have known
time, L-type mechanical tuning was in full
with different wheels, they both use matching
one another for 25-years.
on a public road. The two cars race through the turns passing the throngs of fans while
56 / 59
Evolution
Maxing up the bling -
Tuning cars meant for the Japanese domestic market (JDM) that have found their way overseas, has meanwhile become the new buzzword among performance car fans, with the Japanese focusing as much on the engine as on other parts. One owner took his 25-year-old Honda EG9 Civic Ferio SiR and turned it into a dress up car with a purple metallic body, full aero kit, and 18-inch chrome wheels, as well as replaced the engine with a DC2 Integra Type-R (B18C). Not only that, the compression ratio has also been increased with a high camshaft, and a quadruple throttle was also installed. The air funnels and cam covers have been plated to look like mirrors, and wire tacks have been attached. The engine compartment now looks more like a show car than a tuned car, although its output is nowhere near record breaking at about 250hp. The car’s 23-year-old owner says that the engine was not tuned for power, but for responsiveness, and, sure enough, it revs up to nearly 10,000rpm. “A four-throttle system looks cool. It feels like a proper machine. Also, I’m particular about the sound. I love the sound of the air intake when it accelerates to full speed,” remarks the owner. The exhaust system was also well thought out, with equal length manifolds, a centre pipe without a catalyst and a straight pipe muffler to produce the high-pitched Honda sound. “When you drive it, it’s fast. It’s quick in its own right, but my goal was never to make it fast. I just wanted to make the engine compartment look cool, so I tuned it up and, as a result, it became faster,” says the owner.
Tune up everything
In many cases, tuning involves everything – the engine, suspension, exhaust, as well as the car’s interior and exterior. While it was something that only a few car enthusiasts did in the past, it has since been accepted by many, regardless of the car they drive. This is proof that tuning in Japan has reached a mature stage and will undoubtedly continue to evolve in the future.
“It‘s quick in its own right, but my goal was never to make it fast. I just wanted to make the engine compartment look cool, so I tuned it up, and, as a result, it became faster,” says the car’s owner.
by Alenka Birk
WINE SAFARI You will not see any lions, zebras or giraffes on this safari; however the locals in the guise of the Kontrabant team will still provide you with an unforgettable experience. Hop into a special off-road vehicle, embark on a voyage among the never-ending rows of grapevines and enjoy the stunning views of the scenic Brda region (Slovenia) before stopping for a vineyard picnic. Then it’s time to visit some friends, Brda winemakers to be more exact, where you will learn the secrets behind the magical flavours of their premium wines first-hand. Because Kontrabant (Slovenian translation of contraband) would lose its meaning if you didn’t cross the border, the team will take you on secret routes to visit a cellar in Italy’s Collio and let you ‘smuggle’ some goodies along the way. This unique experience blends winetasting with learning the secrets of wine-making, local cuisine and how it would feel to live in a vineyard. www.kontrabant.si
STEP INTO A VAN GOGH PAINTING Have you ever dreamt of stepping into a painting? Now you can! Welcome to Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, a digitally augmented simulation where you get the chance to experience paintings come to life. You can step into paintings like Irises, Sunflowers and Starry Night. The exhibit uses music, light, movement and colour to engulf visitors in the artwork. The goal is to present the paintings as glimpses of active life, set among moving landscapes. Through ceiling digital projection, close to 3000 moving images illuminate the colourful brushstrokes of the great master in larger-than-life scenes, giving you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Dutch artist’s famous paintings. A musical soundscape accompanies the projections to add to the dream-like state of the exhibition, while aromas are infused throughout the auditorium so that museumgoers can literally stop and smell the (Sun) flowers. The multisensory exhibition is currently on display in Europe and America. www.vangoghexpo.com
60 / 61
Crazy Stuff
OUTSIDE THE BOX Are you ready for an exciting culinary adventure like no other? Do the phrases “cooking outside the box” and “multi-sensory dining experience” make your taste buds tingle? Then visit COB, a modern, fine dining restaurant, where the quality of the experience comes first. With COB - standing for Cooking Outside the Box - the idea behind the venture is to make food in a completely different way than in other Slovenian restaurants. It means that COB guests get to discover Slovenian gastronomy by letting the dishes tell the story of your destination in fun, interactive, and maybe even unexpected ways. Try a different gastronomic experience that will take you on an exciting culinary adventure unlike any other. With the menus set up like a trip around Istria or Slovenia, chef Filip Matjaž is waiting to welcome you in the coastal town of Portorož. www.cob.si
www.cob.si
60
61
HOP ON THE WORLD’S LONGEST BUS ROUTE Would you like to become a part of the longest bus journey in the world, spanning two continents, 18 countries, and covering 20,000 km? Bus to London is the biggest, grandest and most epic bus journey in the world – and you have the chance to experience it first-hand. Hop on in India and travel through vibrant Asia before reaching London – and then stay on the bus for the journey back to Delhi, taking the same route in reverse (Apr. 2022 – Delhi to London, Aug. 2022 – London to Delhi). Join the world’s longest bus journey in comfortable ’business class’ seats and enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of nature and cities that you will stop in along the way. Truly an experience to remember!
www.bustolondon.in
Visit With Us
L I S A B A D E R , S O M M E L I E R O F T H E Y E A R 2 0 21
by Michael Baumann photography Ivana Krešić
Apart from offering sublime in-house dining at The Restaurant, The Dolder Grand hotel also provides its guests with professional advice on their choice of wine, courtesy of Switzerland’s best wine stewardess: Lisa Bader, Gault & Millau Sommelier of the Year 2021 for Switzerland.
62 / 67 Visit With Us
62
63
64
If Switzerland were a kingdom, there’s a good chance the ruling family would reside in The Dolder Grand, a five-star hotel perched above Lake Zürich.
62 / 67 Visit With Us
65 If Switzerland were a kingdom, there’s a good chance the ruling family would reside in The Dolder Grand, a five-star hotel perched above Lake Zürich. Since this is not the case, the stately home with its modern annexes by architect Norman Foster, is fortunately open to all who can afford to relax in its spa, spend the night or dine like royalty. The definite place to go for culinary delights is The Restaurant, where chef Heiko Nieder (two Michelin stars and nineteen Gault Millau points) has been conjuring up masterpieces for years. The venue, which like the entire hotel features first-class international art, is moreover the realm of Lisa Bader, a 31-year-old German sommelier from Baden-Württemberg, who will make sure that lunch and dinner are always perfectly accompanied by exquisite wines, making the dining experience at The Restaurant truly complete.
A detour to a vocation
To see the best in the field providing the service in such a top eatery cannot come as a surprise. Lisa was named Sommelier of the Year 2021 by Gault Millau Switzerland – a great honour – yet she only found her passion and vocation in a roundabout way. After graduating from high school, she thought about studying medicine, but eventually opted for International Hotel and Events Management at the Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) in Montreux, as well as organised events in Frankfurt am Main. Because she always had a passion for wine and was studying close to the Rheingau wine-growing region, she also trained as a certified sommelier in Koblenz. The rest is history. After having her first stint as an intern at The Dolder Grand, she received an offer from Heiko for the position of head sommelier in 2016. She didn’t think twice and gladly accepted the invitation to come to Zürich, where she has been part of Heiko’s team at The Restaurant since 2017. So, what specifically fascinates her about wine? “It looks simply wonderful in a glass and is made with heart and soul,” she says with a glint in her eye. In addition, every vintage is different and continues to develop in the bottle, which is an exciting process.
Examine with eye, nose and palate
During mealtimes, Lisa advises guests in The Restaurant and makes recommendations
The wines are stored in an impressive shelf with glass doors that stands in the middle of the restaurant and is about five meters tall. In total, Lisa has access to 750 different wines at The Restaurant alone.
66
as to which wine goes with each course.
There are at least two of each bottle from the
selection. But she also tastes many wines with
Depending on the occasion, a menu can
same vintage in stock. Lisa uses a ladder to
Heiko and they create menus including the
include up to 10 courses, to which she
reach the bottles sorted on the upper shelves.
accompanying wines together. “It is always
matches the appropriate wines. When
As head sommelier, she is not only responsible
important to keep food and wine in harmony,”
giving her recommendation, she also
for the wine, but for the entire range of
she adds. Together with an employee who is
pays attention to the origin, grape variety
beverages at The Dolder Grand, ranging from
also a sommelier, Lisa moreover determines
and style of the wines. She then carefully
mineral water and sweet drinks, to sparkling
the wine selection for the hotel’s all-day-dining
uncorks the bottles and checks the wine
wine, schnapps and the very expensive wines.
Salz Restaurant.
with her keen eye and sensitive nose
The range of everything on offer in a five-star
before pouring a little into a glass and
hotel like The Dolder Grand is, as expected,
Lisa doesn’t know why she was chosen as
taking a sip. Only after the wine has been
very large.
Sommelier of the Year 2021. “You don’t know
approved by her, is it poured out for the guests to taste. The wines are stored in
Always on the lookout for new wines
the criteria, you don’t know what Gault Millau pays attention to,” she explains. But she was
an impressive cabinet with glass doors
The Sommelier of the Year 2021 is responsible
pleasantly surprised. After all, “It’s the biggest
that stands in the middle of the restaurant
for procurement and has to stick to a budget.
award and recognition in this country that
and is about five meters tall. In total, Lisa
She gives the nod to beverages served at the
exists in my line of work.” Incidentally, Lisa
has access to 750 different wines at The
hotel’s restaurants, its bar, at banquets and
considers the price for a bottle of wine to be
Restaurant alone. The focus is on products
also as part of room service. In order to sniff
relative and secondary. “The basic criterion
from Switzerland, France, Italy and the
out new and exciting wines for the guests, Lisa
for me is that the wine tastes good to you,”
USA. “The bottles are arranged by place
travels a lot. “I regularly visit wineries, trade
she says. And everyone has a different taste.
of origin – like on a map,” she says. Wines
fairs and suppliers all over the world,” she
Of course, more expensive wines tend to be
from Slovenia, however, are not yet on offer
says, describing this part of her varied work.
better. But there are also quite good Riesling
at The Dolder Grand.
Her sense of taste helps her make the right
wines starting at five Swiss francs a bottle.
62 / 67 Visit With Us
67
A glass of fresh cow’s milk
cow’s milk, too, in order to recover from the
persistence. This requires a practice-oriented
hectic pace of everyday working life, after
and demanding course of study, and there are
work: “Interactions with guests can be easily
doing sports, or even if doing sweet nothing at
quite a few exams to pass. “I expect it to take
home and recharging her batteries.
another three to four years before I’m ready,”
Lisa appreciates one thing above all about her intertwined with wine culture.” When asked
says Lisa with her keen eye on the future. The
about her favourite wine, the head sommelier at The Dolder Grand has to smile. “I’ve been
Lisa already has her sights set on the next
range of what candidates must know and be
asked this question countless times.” And her
title – the ‘Master Sommelier’ at the Court
able to do is quite staggering. Apart from
of Master Sommeliers in London. Currently,
having to know your way around cigars – a
answer? Well, to the disappointment of many,
only about 270 people worldwide can lay
science in itself – and be adept at pairing wine,
likes Pinot Noir and Riesling grape varieties
claim to this prestigious title, which she is
tea and coffee, the candidates must also know
best. She always appreciates a glass of fresh
working on acquiring with her characteristic
geography and economics.
Lisa doesn’t have a favourite wine, though she
// Si Lisa Bader, someljejka leta 2021 Če bi bila Švica kraljevina, bi vladajoča družina najbrž prebivala v stavbi hotela s petimi zvezdicami The Dolder Grand nad Züriškim jezerom. Na srečo temu ni tako; veličastna stavba s sodobnimi prizidki arhitekta Normana Fosterja je na voljo vsem. V hotelski restavraciji »The Restaurant« glavni kuhar Heiko Nieder, ki se lahko pohvali z 19 točkami Gault Millau in 2 zvezdicama Michelin, že leta pripravlja svoje dobrote, pri izbiri vina pa gostom svetuje najboljša švicarska kletarka Lisa Bader, ki jo je vodič po restavracijah Gault Millau razglasil za someljejko leta 2021. 31-letna Nemka iz Baden-Württemberga je po končani srednji šoli razmišljala o študiju medicine, vendar se je odločila za študij mednarodnega upravljanja hotelov in prireditev na Švicarski hotelski šoli za upravljanje (SHMS) v Montreuxu, nato pa organizirala dogodke v Frankfurtu na Majni. Ker je bila od nekdaj navdušena nad vinom in je v tistem času delala blizu vinorodne regije Rheingau, se je v Koblenzu usposobila za certificiranega someljeja. Del pripravništva je opravila v hotelu Dolder. Ko je leta 2016 od Heika Niederja dobila ponudbo za mesto glavnega someljeja, jo je z veseljem sprejela. Od leta 2017 je del ekipe Heikove ekipe. »Vino je lep izdelek v kozarcu, narejen s strastjo. Vsak letnik je drugačen in se še naprej razvija v steklenici, kar je vznemirljiv proces,« pravi Lisa z žarom v očeh.
Story
The
Slovenian Zanardi Anej Doplihar, para-cyclist by Peter Kavčič
photography Bor Dobrin, Grega Valančič, Sportida
An ej Doplih ar wa s a s uc c e s s ful S l o v e ni a n m o t o c r o s s r id e r b e f o r e in j u r in g h is s p in a l c o r d in a fa ll fo u r ye a r s a g o a t a na ti onal ch am pi o ns hi p ra c e , but hi s s to r y is p r o o f t h a t e ve n s u ch a n o r d e a l d o e s n o t h a ve t o p r eve n t o n e fr o m b e c o min g a successfu l at hl e te i n a di ffe re nt s po r t. Th e o p t imis t ic A n e j s e r ve s a s a n in s p ir a t i o n a n d b e c a m e a tr u e Pa r a lymp ia n in 2 021, wh en h e re pre s e nte d S l o v e ni a i n a pa r a - c y c lin g r a c e f o r t h e f ir s t t ime in h is lif e a t t h e S u mme r Pa r a lymp ic Ga me s in Jap an, fin ish i ng ni nth i n the ro a d ra c e , b u t t h e r o a d t o To k y o w a s b y n o me a n s e a s y .
At the final race of the 2017 national motocross
recovering from the injury to be able to sit in a
it, going training twice a week when I would ride
championship, held in Orehova vas on the track
special bicycle lent to him by the Soča University
for 100 kilometres,” adds Anej with a big smile on
that Slovenians call the “queen of all tracks”,
Rehabilitation Institute in Ljubljana, Anej started
his face.
the spectators were stunned into silence as red
a new career. He knew he had to do something
flags stopped the competition. The reactions
and he knew he wanted to remain an athlete.
Half a year of waiting for the wrong bike
of rescue personnel and officials made it clear
As part of his rehabilitation, he was introduced
The beginnings were far from easy. After six
that something serious had happened. This
to various sports and activities, and it was the
months of waiting, he received the wrong
was the day that ended the 11-year motocross
handcycle that attracted him the most. He first
handcycle. This meant a delay of another four
career of Anej Doplihar, a young rider from the
borrowed it for a month, but two weeks after
months, though he was fortunately still able
Vipavska Valley in the west of Slovenia. The
returning it he called the centre again and
to use the bike he had rented from the Soča
entire Slovenian motorsport scene was in shock,
borrowed it one more time. “I needed physical
institute. He soon found out that he was a
and questions about why it had happened
activity, I needed something happening, I also
complete beginner in his newly-chosen sport.
outnumbered the answers. But what followed
focused a lot on physical fitness during my
After finally receiving the right bike and taking
is a tale full of optimism, will to live and the
motocross career. Since the handcycle was not
it to the start of his first para-cycling race,
joy of life. In August 2018, after sufficiently
in high demand, I was able to continue renting
he quickly realised that he had no idea about
68 / 71 Story
68
69
After all the waiting and gaining experience in the past three years, Anej has finally received a proper handcycle, one with which he can be competitive overall.
Tim Gajser fan
handcycle racing. He likened his feelings
experience in the past three years, Anej has
to what he felt at his first motocross race
finally received a proper handcycle, one with
when he saw, at the starting gate, that the
which he can be competitive overall. It is an
competition was better prepared, had better
American handcycle made by Carbonbike –
equipment and more experience, and had cut
USA, an experienced manufacturer of such
him off in the first turn anyway.
machines. The price of the expertise and
He very quickly realised that getting the
manufacture did not come cheap, as the
correct racing handcycle was quite a
handcycle has a carbon-fibre frame, which is
challenge, especially if he wanted to take the
twice as expensive as an aluminium one.
sport more seriously. For starters, virtually
Cycling is among the most adrenaline-fuelled
every such handcycle is custom made. The
parasports, the riders start together, just as in
design depends on the difference in injuries
motocross, and it grew on Anej immediately
out as petrolheads, acquaintances call Anej the
and the level of disability of each individual
as he gained motivation and optimism from his
Slovenian Zanardi. Alex unfortunately suffered a
cyclist. There is an enormous difference if
newly chosen sport. After the accident, he told
serious accident while training last year, and Anej
you can exert the force of all the upper body
himself in no uncertain terms that he would be
hopes that he will return to racing soon and that
muscles or are only able to use the shoulder
moving forward and would not despair over his
one day he will meet his hero at a competition or
and chest muscles. The distance to the
fate, as he was well aware that the injury could
the Paralympics.
cranks and the inclination and position of the
have been even more serious. “I didn’t see
Taking part in the Olympics is the highlight of
seat also play a role, as does the length of
any other way than to keep going forward. I’ve
every athlete’s career. The honour of being able
the rider’s arms. Seat inclination is actually
always known that I’m not alone in this. When
to represent one’s country is reward enough for
extremely important, as the rider needs
I was having a hard time, I was encouraged
all the effort. Anej did not exactly plan to appear
maximum power from the shoulder tip area
by friends and family, which helped me a lot.
at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo, though he did
and must be able to continue pushing the
I believe that my friends sometimes felt even
quietly hope that he would qualify, regardless of
pedals while turning, meaning that the outer
worse than I did when they saw me in the
the fact that he had just started his new career.
arm must not be too stretched out when
hospital bed. So I steeled myself and decided
He still finds it incredible that he was able to
cornering. After all the waiting and gaining
to move on, to turn over a new leaf in my life.”
make it to the Games after only two and a half
He still follows motocross and, of course, cheers for compatriot Tim Gajser, practically his peer. In cycling, his two idols are Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič, and his biggest para-cycling role model is none other than Alex Zanardi, former Formula 1 and American CART racing driver. “When people ask me what sport I compete in, I discovered that the quickest way to explain it is to tell them, ‘the same as Alex Zanardi!’” says Anej. Perhaps because both of them started
68 / 71
Story
years of para-cycling. “Ninth place at the first Olympic road race in my life is truly something I’m proud of. The coach and I were actually preparing for Paris 2024, but I somehow felt that with a little bit of luck and some good results I could get a chance to go to Tokyo. And in the end, that’s exactly what happened!” Motocross racing has taught him that you must never give up, that you have to believe, and that working hard always pays off. His first Paralympic Games were a dress rehearsal for Paris, where he will be aiming for a medal. This is the goal to which he has dedicated his life and training and his ambition is clear – to hang up an Olympic medal at home!
“Ninth place at the first Olympic road race in my life is truly something I’m proud of. The coach and I were actually preparing for Paris 2024, but I somehow felt that with a little bit of luck and some good results I could get a chance to go to Tokyo. And in the end, that’s exactly what happened!”
70
71
Original
72 / 77
Original
IMAGES OF
CHANGE
Ciril Jazbec, photographer
by Bor Dobrin photography Ciril Jazbec
Saattut, Greenland, 2015 / ‘On Thin Ice’
72
73
75
Nielsine Løvstrøm, Uummannaq, Greenland, 2015 / ‚On Thin Ice’
74
While arranging the meeting for our magazine, Ciril Jazbec simply suggests we come over to his place. A promising start I think as it is always interesting to get a peek behind the curtains of the person currently in the spotlight. Restrained and friendly, Ciril opens the door of the family house and invites me to a pleasant, warm and quite varied studio. I notice a mixture of polished
His photos make a similar impression as well. They are meticulously planned, meaningful and refined in their artistic expression; they accompany their stories with a tailored colour palette and a dynamic perspective. While on the subject of the world’s leading print media, I soon realise that he loves to talk the most about
terrazzo and rough concrete, accompanied by softer brick walls and warm
his favourite magazine - National Geographic.
wood. It feels like stepping into a thoughtfully furnished living room or a study
of us - completely by chance - and now that
The infatuation started much like it did for most
- the space certainly does not exude the atmosphere of a strictly controlled
childhood dream, to have his images in the
photography studio. Ciril‘s appearance and the way he talks flows along the
have passed since Ciril Jazbec, then aged 12,
same lines. Those of a photographer whose shots have been published by nearly all the leading print media in the world.
magazine, has come true. Over two decades discovered a pile of magazines sporting the famous yellow border during a visit to his aunt. Now it seems that during that time Ciril has achieved almost everything in photography, as
72 / 77
Original
Over two decades have passed since Ciril Jazbec, then aged 12, discovered a pile of magazines sporting the famous yellow border during a visit to his aunt. Now it seems that during that time Ciril has achieved almost everything in photography. Phuntsok Paldan, Ladakh, India, 2019 / ‘The Ice Stupas’
Athulya Pillai, Ladakh, India, 2018 / ‘The Ice Stupas’
proven by the many recognitions and awards,
person, or the perfect light, all to make that one
drawn to documentary, socially engaged
even multiple ones for several photos. I am keen
shot that he is looking for.
photography at a very young age. So how
to learn what underlies this meteoric success,
do the two mix? Does Ciril Jazbec change
his methods and motives.
Meteoric rise
“I keep thinking about future projects, I read, I
Ciril’s rise in the field of commercial
the project he’s working on at the moment?
research,” is his succinct answer to me probing
photography was meteoric. He had quite a
As I continue evolving my train of thought,
how he gets ready for his shots, “I leave the rest
few advertising campaigns under his belt
Ciril already has an answer ready. “They do
to inspiration and time.” Time is of the essence,
after finishing secondary school, adding
and don’t mix,” he smiles softly. “I would say
he states repeatedly. Time makes the difference,
award-winning ones a few years down the
that both types of clients, the commercial
it is the vital ingredient for a truly superb
line when he started doing photography
and documentary, mainly hire me because
documentary photograph. Time that Ciril uses
professionally. Such projects helped him
of my distinctive style of photography.”
to open the doors of both houses and people.
to better understand the technical aspects
Photography is a global business. Instead
This is the only way he can establish the trust
of photography and lighting, and to hone
of words, the viewers are addressed by the
and mutual respect that is needed. The way I
the organisational skills he uses for his
artist’s images and do not need to learn a
understood him is that when he is present in the
commercial projects. He has retained his
different language, scratching language
environment he plans to document, he uses the
enthusiasm for the commercial side of
classes off their list. Still, I want to know
available time to lead him to an opportunity, a
things, but quickly points out that he was
how many foreign languages does this
his artistic expression or adapt his style to
76
77 Gya, Ladakh, India, 2019 / ‘The Ice Stupas’
Photography is a global business. Instead of words, the viewers are addressed by the artist‘s images and do not need to learn a different language, scratching language classes off their list. Greenlandic dogs, Greenland, 2014 / ‘On Thin Ice’
Moving images say more than stills
communities are severely affected by these
“Unfortunately, just one and a half, but I seem to be able to convince people
Every time I want to probe deeper into
there clearly and insightfully. “I’ve seen the
and gain their trust with my personality
Ciril’s layers of thought and get to the core
changes, unfortunately for the worse, with
even if there is a language barrier,” is the
of his photographic essence, he turns the
my own eyes over all these years. To keep
ready answer. He clearly stresses that
answer towards explaining his past, current
shouting about it is like leaning against
photography is a universal language which
and future documentary projects and their
windmills. I am however pleased to see that
is understood everywhere, although he
messages. He talks less about photography
the young think differently!” This is Ciril’s
agrees that there are differences in how
and more about the critical lack of snow
important train - his persistence and belief
it is perceived around the globe. Another
in the Alps, the perilous disappearance
that what he is communicating to the public
fruitful avenue to explore, so I inquire more
of Greenland’s ice sheets and the sinking
is extremely important. He also believes that
about the diversity and universality of the
Kiribati archipelago. Indeed, it was the
he has at least some amount of influence.
language of photography. “Some perceive
images of Kiribati that had opened wide
This train of thought has increasingly drawn
it more superficially, others can penetrate
the doors to the world of documentary
him towards moving images. “It is possible to
into its depths,” he states. “It is when an
photography. Rather than talk about himself,
express more with them,” he says and is as
image is misused for a specific purpose
Ciril prefers to discuss the rapidly changing
a consequence increasingly active in video
that various interpretations and perceptions
climate all over the world. He likes returning
production, including directing. “You can tell
of photography occur.”
most to the places where people and
much more with a moving image than with
global master of photography speak?
changes and he details his experience
72 / 77
Original
Rather than talk about himself, Ciril prefers to discuss the rapidly changing climate all over the world. He likes returning most to the places where people and communities are severely affected by these changes. Rina Mathew with her son, South Tarawa, Kiribati, 2011 / ‘Kiribati is Gone’
Samburu women, The Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, 2016 / ‚Africa’s Tech Revolution’
a still,” he believes. “It’s also important to
Keeping the essence veiled
therefore bring about change in a timely manner.
reach young viewers, whose attention span
The quality of Ciril’s photography makes it an
On the other hand, Ciril never fully uncovered
in media consumption has been significantly
exceptional visual snapshot of past events and
shortened compared to the generations that
states, but I am also inclined to believe that
came before them.”
his images will help to clarify some things and
the veil hiding the essence of his photography and I would venture to say that he leaves it to the observers and the viewers to discover it, layer by layer, through his work.
// Si
Fotograf Ciril Jazbec Ciril Jazbec je dokumentarni fotograf, rojen v Sloveniji leta 1987. Svoj talent do fotografiranja je izkazoval že v srednješolskih letih. Po končani Ekonomski gimnaziji je dodiplomski študij opravil na Ekonomski fakulteti na Univerzi v Ljubljani in študij nadaljeval v Londonu, kjer je končal magistrski študij fotoreporterstva in dokumentarne fotografije na fakulteti London College of Communication. Njegove izdelke so objavili že skoraj vsi vodilni tiskani mediji na svetu. Skrbno načrtovane, tehtne fotografije, izčiščene v svojem likovnem izrazu, dajejo zgodbi prilagojeno in izbrano paleto barv in dinamike pogleda. Ko govoriva o teh vodilnih svetovnih tiskanih medijih, kmalu spoznam, da najraje govori o svoji najljubši reviji – National Geographicu. Začelo se je po naključju. Ko je bil star 12 let, je pri svoji teti odkril kup revij z znamenitim rumenim robom. Medtem je minilo več kot dvajset let in zdi se, da je v fotografiji dosegel skoraj vse. Veliko priznanj, nagrad, nekatere med fotografijami so bile nagrajene tudi večkrat. »Ves čas premišljujem o naslednjih projektih, berem, raziskujem. Preostalo prepustim navdihu in času,« odgovori na vprašanje o pripravi na fotografiranje. Photo: Primož Lukežič
78
H ig h G e ar
High Gear
78
All good things must come to an end
No more 46 on the grid So, that’s it. There is no more 46 on the grid. A run of racing since March 1996 all the way through to today is quite incredible. 26 years, 432 Grands Prix races, 9 world championship titles in 125, 250, 500 and MotoGP from 16 to 42 years of age is one helluva run that I still can’t get my head around, but, as the English saying goes, “All good things must come to an end.” Rossi didn’t quite single-handedly make MotoGP a much bigger sport than it was, but he was on the right crest of the right wave at the right time once Grand Prix went from twoto four-stroke MotoGP in 2002, and brought with it more manufacturers with Formula 1 engine tech than were already there. Rossi was and still is charismatic, a winner with grace and style rather than a metronomic winning machine who smiles and leaves the podium. And he is someone who connected to people in a way never before seen in motorsport. TV stations wanted their part in the Rossi effect and it just spiralled upwards from there. I hate the expression that someone is bigger than their sport, but in this case it applies perfectly, with fans flocking trackside to see their hero, get a glimpse of him in the paddock or even an autograph – he really was very good at looking after them. I’ll never forget the girls screaming for their idol at the top of their lungs at Mugello only to realise there were men in there too – former Formula 1 driver Pierluigi Martini included – doing the same. There was something that the Rossi effect had on so many.
Will MotoGP be different without him? Of course it will be, but in a slow gradual way after his struggles over the past two seasons. It hasn’t been a hard stop of a retirement or having been stopped through injury, so at least this “farewell tour” has been fun, as he is and should remain the true King of MotoGP for a while yet, no matter who comes in to try and steal the crown that the fans, rather than the record books, bestow upon the riders. The Sky Racing Team VR46 structure in place is a soft landing out of racing, that will see him still racing from the garage with his VR46 Riders Academy, so he’s still around – but he may well be a bit longer in bed in the morning as alarm calls were never his thing. Also waving goodbye is Tony Cairoli, who is stepping down from MX after a stellar career that, like Rossi’s, included nine world titles and mirrored the commitment and the drive behind racing at the highest level. Another name that transcended the sport, perhaps not quite to Rossi levels but still familiar to anyone who knew motorsport. Chaz Davies also called it a day in September this year after racing from 125cc and through the ranks to win 32 WorldSBK races for BMW, Ducati and Aprilia, finishing in that frustrating second in the championship three times. All of these riders can hold their heads up high in the knowledge that they climbed their Everest, made a very healthy living and had a whole lotta fun along the way, and that’s probably no bad thing in this or any other day and age.
The article here does not necessarily correspond with the opinions of Akrapovič d. d., the publishers or the editors.
by Toby Moody illustration Natan Esku
What many fans have also come to realise more and more is the effect of “I was there” and “I saw that race”. Even though we are saturated with the digital world where everything can be seen within seconds through a TV screen, many have made their pilgrimage to see the heroes of motorsport before they stopped racing. Dads and lads have gone out of their way to be able to say “I saw Valentino Rossi race”, and no matter where he finished they were there to see it, and I do think that’s pretty cool – so do go and see a Lewis Hamilton or a Max Verstappen or the last of these WRC cars before they have a rule change. Get yourself somehow to Monaco, Pikes Peak, 24 Hours of Le Mans, Monza Formula 1, Bathurst or the Indy 500 so you can see it all, but most of all feel it all on the day, because the passion on race day is what all the heroes of the sport have, even if they retire.
Rossi didn’t quite single-handedly make MotoGP a much bigger sport than it was, but he was on the right crest of the right wave at the right time.
Toby Moody International motorsport TV broadcaster for both two wheels and four, having commentated on motor sport for 21 years.
Follow @tobymoody / Twitter and Instagram
d e y o j n e e v ’ e W – 2 2 2 r e h t e g o t e d i r the
Fac d Bull K T M e R h it w r e t he ur ney. Tog gr e a t p a r t ner s hip. jo t n e ic if n uil t a r m ag a r t o f you e w in s , and w e’v e b p a n e e b a r t o f. e been a p f ul t o ha v e t it le s and m any r ac v e a t h a r o g t d is u pr o A k r apo v ič s ha r ed s ix w or ld hat we are t y c e a g ’v e le w a d le f t R acing, f many an o s t r a e h ed t he a v e t ouch h u o y , y n To emor ie s . m e h t r o f T h a nk you
tor y
Achieve unrivalled performance, improve the design, and own the tarmac with a raceproven Akrapovič exhaust system. It is quality you can see, hear, and touch – all stemming from supreme workmanship, technological knowhow, and the finest materials.
Akrapovič d.d. Malo Hudo 8a, 1295 Ivančna Gorica, Slovenia / www.akrapovic.com
GENERAL WARNING Because of the world-wide distribution of Akrapovič d.d. products, neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of its subsidiaries make any representation that the products comply with the air and/or noise emissions laws, or labeling laws, of any jurisdiction. The purchasers are entirely responsible for informing themselves of the applicable laws where the products are to be used and to comply with those law. USA WARNING Various U.S. states and the U.S. federal government have individual laws regulating the use of aftermarket exhaust parts and systems, especially as those parts and systems modify, remove, or replace original equipment catalysts. Please consult the appropriate laws in your area before installing any aftermarket part or system on your vehicle to ensure compliance with all applicable laws. Neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of their subsidiaries or the sellers of the parts or systems make any representation that any of their parts or systems comply with any such laws. CALIFORNIA WARNING California laws prohibit the use of any aftermarket exhaust part or system that modifies, removes or replaces original equipment catalysts unless the California Air Resources Board has issued an Executive Order regarding such part or system or unless the part or system is exempted by being used only on racing vehicles on closed courses. Neither Akrapovič d.d. nor any of their subsidiaries make any representation that any of their parts or systems has received such an Executive Order or that any of their parts or systems conform with the racing vehicles exemption. The purchasers are entirely responsible for informing themselves of applicable California laws and to comply with those laws.
Product code: 801900 Product code: 801949
THE SOUND OF PASSION