CS Santosh zips his way to victory at the Desert Storm 2015. But we caught up with him.
The name CS Santosh has become synonymous with speed and success. Last
12 months have been uber successful for CS Santosh – the fastest Indian on two wheels. The string of successes started with a win
at Desert Storm 2014 which then resulted in his top 10 finish at the World
Cross Rallies Championship and he then progressed on to participate at the
Dakar. For this very reason, Santosh decided to revisit the Desert.
Not surprisingly, the defending champion notched up another win. But he
simply didn’t just win it, he went ahead and annihilated the competition,
winning the rally by more than 1 and half hour.
For days after the Dakar
Rally, you were still on road to recovery. So, how and when did you manage to
prepare for the Desert Storm?
I only trained for 10 days. Basically, I just relied on my Dakar experience. I was used to riding for long stages and hence I
knew 10 days of training would be sufficient.
You had already the Desert
Storm last year; after the Dakar, shouldn’t you have rested more and be ready
for the season opener in March instead of participating at Desert?
Desert Storm and Raid de Himalaya are two of the biggest and most
prestigious events in India. The organizers are really nice and were really
keen on having me in the event.
Besides, last year, I participated and won the Desert, and my rest of
the year went fantastic. Hence, I just wanted to come here once again and start
this year on an auspicious note.
But, till the very end you
weren’t sure whether you’re going to participate in the event or not. There was
a lot of back and forth going on. What exactly was the issue?
Yes, there was a lot of back and forth. Basically, I had ordered parts
for my bike from Japan and there was a bit of uncertainty about when they would
reach me. I had to get my bike’s gearbox changed and the new one was being
shipped from Japan. Fortunately, I got it on time and I was able to confirm my
participation for the event.
The same as I rode last year – Suzuki RMX450.
So what’s the difference
between this bike (Suzuki RMX450) and the one you rode in Dakar (KTM 450)?
The Suzuki is an endure bike. It’s not as highly modified as the KTM.
For example, the Suzuki doesn’t require a very big fuel tank – it’s only 11.5
litres, as compared to the 30 litre tank on the KTM. Also, unlike KTM, on this
Suzuki, there are no heavy navigation equipment. It’s a much sober bike
compared to the Dakar one, but it does the job for an event like Desert Storm.
Not only were you the
defending champion, you were also the most accomplished rider at the event
given your Dakar experience. With no stiff competition for you, were you taking
things a bit too easy?
Nope. I was pushing myself all the time. You’re right, there wasn’t
anyone hot on my heels and hence, I wasn’t required to fight for those few
minutes to stay ahead. Having said that, I was going as fast as I possibly
could. In fact, the organizers told me that I was the only guy who was flying
all along.
To be honest, I am a pretty safe rider and I don’t take undue risks
expect for on straight. But at this year’s event, I took a lot of chances on
crests and blind corners; I was relying on my gut. I was constantly trying to
improve my speed and go even faster than last year. To be honest, it was more
like me against myself.
Which was the toughest stage
of all (at Desert Storm 2015)?
Though I’m used to most of the stages at the Desert Storm, the day 3
stage was a new introduction. That stage was very technical. Physically demanding,
too. It’s pretty similar to the stages at Dakar. I knew I’d nail it but I
really liked this new addition.
You’re now one of the most
experienced and successful riders in the Indian racing scene. At the event, you
must be getting a lot of young riders reaching out to you to learn from your
experience.
Yes, I like sharing my knowledge and experience with others. There were
a few young guys at the Desert. I gave them tips about composure and balance
during long runs. It always feels nice to see enthusiasm of young, budding
racers.
Speaking of experience, at
the other end of spectrum was Mr. Vijay Parmar – one of the veterans of the
industry and the mastermind of Raid de Himalaya – who participate at this
year’s Desert Storm. When two experienced racers like you and him meet, what do
you discuss?
Yes, Mr. Parmar is a very colourful character. It’s always great
catching up with him. He’s much senior and he’s raced in a completely different
era. It’s always nice to speak to him and listen to his stories about how rally
used to be in his days.
Both of us were there for two totally different objectives. I just
wanted to better myself while he was there just to enjoy the rally.
For you, as far as Indian
rallies are concerned, you’ve “been there, done that.” There’s nothing more to
prove. So would you still come back and participate in Raid de Himalaya and
Desert Storm?
Like I said, these two are the biggest and the best events in India. Due
to my busy international racing schedule, it surely is difficult to find time
and participate in these but whenever I can, I’ll do it. Desert Storm was my
lucky charm last year, and I had a fantastic 2014 post my win at the Desert.
Now that I’ve won in 2015, I hope the tradition continues this year too. And
for this very reason, I will keep coming back.
So what’s next?
I’m off to Dubai to participate at the Baha Rally. It’s a 30 km. race.
It’s more like a race than a rally – only difference is that instead of a track,
it’s run on a desert and it’s 30 km long.
With the first race of Cross Rallies World Championship just around the corner, why are you going to Dubai?
I don’t get many opportunities to ride in desert. I barely ride for
10-15 days in a year on the desert. Marc Coma and Sam Sanderland are also going to participate. It will be a good exposure for me. Let’s
see where I stand at the end of the race.
Disclaimer: The article was first published by the author for RedBull.com
Disclaimer: The article was first published by the author for RedBull.com
