Video: Stan Watt - Ireland's great Dakar hope

The 2012 Dakar Rally kicks off in South America on January 1. Regarded as the hardest race in the world, 188 riders will embark on the epic and dangerous adventure through Argentina, Chile and Peru.

Among the multinational contingent is Irishman Stan Watt, who represents our best chance of home-grown talent not only finishing the event, but getting a result.

Backed by Crescent Racing, KTM UK and complete with a purpose-built rally bike direct from the KTM factory in Austria, Watt also has the infrastructure and support crew with the potential secure a win.

MCN’s Michael Guy caught up with Stan and the Crescent KTM team, testing in Dorset, ahead of the Rally.

We’ll take a more in-depth and technical look at Watt’s £33,000 KTM 450 Dakar race bike in part two of the video next week.

Read the full story in this week’s issue of MCN (December 28), on sale now.