After a victorious campaign in this year’s Dakar, Martin Macik is back to full business. In recent days, he has tested his improved racing special, Cenda, together with his fans in the harsh terrain of the Tunisian desert, where the tyres in particular underwent a stress test.

Daily portion of 200 km

Since the victory, MM Technology’s factory truck has undergone mainly minor improvements such as optimized weight distribution and modifications for better maintenance. The main objective of the four-day test in Tunisia was therefore to test the tyres in rough terrain. “We drove around 200 kilometers a day in the desert and on a special circuit where we focused mainly on the tyres. Everything is working as it should, so I’m happy with the first tests,” says mechanic David Svanda after his return to the Czech Republic.

Friendly assistance

Together with the orange team, Kees Koolen, who is the proud owner of another MM Technology truck “Project 2030”, and Frantisek Brutovsky, a newcomer to off-road marathons, whose goal is to take part in the Dakar in 2025, set off between the dunes. “We are happy when we can share our experience with other truck owners from our workshop or pass it on to the next generation, which I think we have done with Franta Brutovsky in Africa”, comments Martin Macik.

Experience of a lifetime

Because fans are an integral part of the MM Technology team culture, they are not absent from the testing. Over the course of a couple of days, they were able to experience what it’s like to drive through the desert in a race truck or the new Can-Am Maverick and learned a lot of valuable information directly from those in the know. They also went through quad bike driving training. Martin Macik is visibly pleased with the participation of the fans, “We always try to get our fans involved as much as possible, because it’s also their support that drives us forward. That’s why we take them with us to testing outside the Czech Republic, so they can experience what we do at Dakar. Although to a lesser extent.”

Dakar 2025 is closer than it seems

Before the Sedlcany caravan sets off again for Saudi Arabia, Cenda and the crew will have to cover many kilometres of testing in domestic conditions during regular training sessions. Already on Wednesday, they will also learn more details about the next edition of the prestigious race, directly from the organizers during the Dakar Tour official event, which will be held in the Czech Republic again.