The Ducati DesertX Rally has achieved another victory in the ranking reserved for twin-cylinder machines at the Erzbergrodeo, one of the most popular extreme enduro competitions. Antoine Meo’s win contributed to making the day of June 2nd, in which Pecco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini scored a wonderful 1-2 triumph in the MotoGP race at Mugello, even more historic. The multiple Enduro world champion and European Supercross Champion won the Erzbergrodeo Iron Road Prologue with the DesertX for the second time in a row.
The Iron Road Prologue is the competition that over 1300 riders registered for the “Rodeo” are required to do to qualify for the final event. Divided into two sessions, it takes place on an ultra-fast climb (over 600 meters of altitude difference over 13.5 km) where single and twin-cylinder motorbikes compete and, thanks to its spectacular nature, over the years it has become one of the most hotly contested and eagerly awaited races of the entire event. In the Iron Road Prologue Meo and the DesertX Rally, assisted by the Entrophy Motorbike team, took the win, setting the best time in the category reserved for twin-cylinder machines.
The result allowed the DesertX Rally to line up on the front row in the final event on Sunday, where Antoine Meo wanted to put on a good performance, starting the race amid the enthusiasm of the public. The French champion stopped only after passing the first checkpoints, where the route became prohibitive for the twins.
The DesertX Rally thus confirmed its competitive qualities on a route that enhanced the performance of the Ducati engine, while at the same time underlining the quality of the chassis characterized by race-ready solutions, which were put to the test on the demanding Iron Road courses. Meo’s bike was in fact prepared for the race by adopting only the Ducati Performance racing exhaust and eliminating one of the two front discs, which is not necessary for an uphill race like the Erzbergrodeo.
The competitiveness of the DesertX was underlined by the performances of Patrick Neisser and Simon Marcic, riding two bikes entered by the Ducati dealer Rosenberger of Graz, who finished the Iron Road Prologue among the twins in fourth and eighth place respectively.
As in the previous edition, the public at the Erzbergrodeo enthusiastically welcomed the Ducati team, with a large turnout of spectators at the hospitality set up by the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s importer for Austria, Exclusive Cars. Enthusiasts had the opportunity to try the DesertX range with dedicated tours on a route traced around the magnificent scenery of the Eisenerz iron quarry.
This second appointment with the Erzbergrodeo confirms Ducati’s growing commitment to off-road racing competition. A commitment that will continue with the second stage of the Italian Motorally championship in Foligno (PG), on 29 and 30 June, where the protagonist will once again be Antoine Meo flanked by Antonio Polidoro, both on DesertX Rally.
The Rally was created on the base of the DesertX, the first Ducati equipped with a 21-inch front rim and 18-inch rear, as a proposal dedicated to the sportiest and most daring off-roaders, to those who love rally raids and competition, based on the experience gained in the 2023 edition of the Erzbergrodeo. It is characterized by the best racing-derived components: on the DesertX Rally, high-quality, specialized and effective off-road solutions have been adopted and at the same time sophisticated as for all Ducatis.
The unique style, a distinctive feature that unites the DesertX Rally to all Ducatis, communicates its nature from the very first glance. The technical equipment makes the Rally a true off-road motorbike. The Kayaba suspension with increased travel with closed cartridge fork and sliders with Kashima Coating treatment, and the shock absorber with oversize piston are derived from motocross and allow any obstacle to be overcome. The new central spoke wheels, with measurements and characteristics specific to off-road racing, make the Rally an unstoppable motorbike on any type of terrain. These solutions, together with forged carbon skid plate, light and resistant, and the gear pedals and rear brake lever machined from solid, unequivocally identify the Rally as a motorbike designed for the most extreme adventures.
The heart of the new DesertX is the popular 937 cc liquid-cooled Testastretta 11° desmodromic distribution engine with 110 hp at 9,250 rpm and a maximum torque of 92 Nm at 6,500 rpm, optimized for specific use in the gearbox and electronics equipment, which sees the introduction of two Riding Modes specifically designed for off-road.
Adequate autonomy for longer journeys is guaranteed by the tank with a capacity of over 21 litres and the possibility of mounting a second tank at the rear of the motorbike as an accessory, adding a further 8 litres of petrol.
The Ducati DesertX Rally is available in Iron Giant livery.
