KTM rally-raid factory Team Manager since the Rallye du Maroc 2023, Andreas Hölzl has seen the downsizing of the Gas Gas and Husqvarna’s presence, followed by the retirements of Sam Sunderland, Toby Price and, most recently, Kevin Benavides.
Unperturbed despite the economic turbulence that has rocked his employer in recent months, “Andi” and his team brought home a 20th Dakar trophy to Mattighofen last January thanks to Daniel Sanders. Winner of the next two rounds, “Chucky” is unbeaten in 3 rounds, a new RallyGP record. Luciano Benavides, 2nd RallyGP overall, enabled the “orange” team to take the lead in the Manufacturers' ranking.
We take a look behind the scenes, with a very discreet engineer, at the start of the 2025 season, which could lead to KTM's first RallyGP and Manufacturers' victory in W2RC.
What is your career path within the KTM Group?
"I've been a KTM employee for over 20 years now. Before the rally-raid team, I managed the Husqvarna enduro team and in 2009 I took part in the Dakar with a race truck. I've also always been in close contact with the rally team and the previous manager. So it was a quick switch."
At the end of 2023, your appointment coincided with the launch of a new factory bike, which didn't shine immediately...
"2024 was a difficult year. We missed out on Dakar victory by a mile. But with the experience, know-how and technology of such a team, it was possible to develop a bike in a year that would make the riders happy. The collaboration between the technical team and the riders was remarkable and in the end the work paid off. In rallying, you need a collective spirit, it's the only way to make things happen."
Has winning the Dakar 2025, in a difficult economic climate for KTM, changed things for the future of the team?
"Definitively. We've shown that despite the difficulties, we're still moving forward. We're a hard-working team that always finds solutions. It was a question of passion and enthusiasm for the whole company. It was a necessary victory. We had the right riders, the right team, but these men behind the handlebars did it. They understood the importance of supporting KTM. It was a great victory, super important at this time and one that will stay with us for a long time and help us with our “ready to race” image."
"Do not think that it's all about the race. You have to do your homework if you want to succeed"
Daniel Sanders has been “superfly” for several months now. What is the key to this domination?
"He's a hard worker and a thinker. He's changed his approach to racing a lot since the Rallye du Maroc 2024, when he started asking for the perfect set-up, looking for details and doing everything he could to get them. We listened to him a lot to help him. The key is preparation. Do not think that everything depends on the race. You have to do your homework if you want to succeed. Daniel has always been a hard worker, he's always been super fast in the desert, but now that everything is ready for race day, it's working out well for him."
Kevin Benavides recently announced his retirement from the competition. Are you looking for a new recruit?
"Kevin had a very professional approach, he gave us a lot and we're grateful to him for that. He was a hard worker and he tried everything to get back to the forefront. I have a lot of respect for him. The new generation is arriving from the back with juniors like Edgar Canet in whom we see great potential. BAS team and especially Bart its manager, did an excellent job of helping him to blossom. We will continue to work closely with this satellite team. For the time being, we're going to stick with three riders. It works well that way and there aren't that many riders available on the market, as the other brands also recognise. We'll continue to focus on quality rather than quantity."
What changes would you like to see in the championship?
"I have to say that the W2RC is doing a good job at the moment. The road books are properly prepared, the events are entrusted to good organisations and the sport is well promoted. The calendar is a good mix. In South Africa, we saw a completely different rally from what we were used to in the desert. The riders had to change their way of approaching a race, it was difficult to navigate, it was a new story in the rally-raid history book. I'm happy to be part of it and I'm grateful for the good organisation and promotion that allows us to present our brand and our riders in the right way. We're here to represent a sport that's awesome and to offer our customers the chance to enjoy it alongside us."
