“Those who know me, know that I want more”

The years go by and Stefan Svitko remains one of the best privateers of the Dakar. After 14 appearances, Stefan Svitko has seen it all: the glory when he captured second spot back in 2016 and quite a few painful setbacks forcing him to retire on four occasions. One of the most talented riders of the field, the Slovakian has struggled not being a real factory rider. His first Dakar in 2010 was indeed a very promising one: 13th spot and best rookie trophy. Then followed five Top 10 finishes for this enduro specialist and multiple European champion. Calm and composed, the Slovakian however knows that its harder and harder to compete with the big guns. His recent 8th and 12th positions (twice) on Saudi Arabian soil seem to be almost the best he can accomplish. Last year for instance only one non factory rider finished ahead of him (Martin Micek). Reaching the top 10 will once again be his objective hoping that his KTM will be just as reliable as his pace as shown throughout the 2023 season that saw him with in several Baja races across Europe. At 41 years of age, Svitko carries on learning from his past experiences and that will again be key for a good performance.

"The Dakar is not just about adventure like it was twenty years ago. Today it's a sprint marathon. When I finished second overall in 2016, I was 39 minutes behind the winner (only 43secs between first and second this year). My 12th position in 2023 is an excellent result in such an outstanding competition but I wanted more. Those who know me, know that I want more. Ahead of me were only factory riders except for Martin Micek who managed a great race. And every year two or three new competitors appear. Last year I was simply not fast enough and wasn’t feeling mentally great. We often made it late to the bivouac. The stages were long and when you have to cover 950 kilometres in the rain and cold, it’s really tough mentally. I only got lost twice but only loosing a few minutes and never suffered big crashes. I already have a plan for 2024 and will do my best. Like every year I know what I did wrong and neglected a little. I know what I need to do to leave the Dakar satisfied.”