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Karel Loprais, the legendary racer Monsieur Dakar, has died, and the funeral will take place in January

Next week, people will be able to sign a book of condolences in the lobby of Frenštát City Hall, which will then be handed over to the family. The mourning place will be open from Monday, January 3, 2022 from 10 a.m. during the opening hours of the town hall.

The last interview with Karel Loprais: About drawing water from African wells and celebrating

The mayor of Frenštát pod Radhoštěm, Miroslav Halatin, told Deník that the city would like to make a dignified farewell to the famous athlete beforehand.

“It will depend on whether the family wants it. After the New Year, I would like to meet Karel Loprais’ sons to ask them if they would like such a farewell. If so, we would like to invite, among others, the former co-driver Karel Loprais, “said Miroslav Halatin.

Achievements and government honors

The holder of the third best balance of podium finishes (only Peterhansel and Chagin are ahead of him) finished racing at the Dakar in 2006, but later continued to participate as a member of the accompanying vehicle.

He won six 1st places in the truck category, only Russian Vladimír Čagin holds more (one).

In May 2011, Karel Loprais was appointed Government Commissioner for Road Safety. In 2017, he received the Czech state award, the Medal of Merit, from the President of the Republic.

Source: Youtube

Thanks to his success, he is a multiple holder of the Golden Steering Wheel – a readers ‘and journalists’ survey – and together with the motorcycle legend František Šťastný, in February 2000, the Czech Republic became a competitor of the century in the Autoklub ČR poll.

The most successful Dakar racer

Despite the test driver of the Tatras, he got to the start of the Dakar in 1986 and in the following year he reached the Pink Lake as the second and in 1988 he reached his premium championship.

Legendary racer Karel Loprais.  With the Tatra 815, he won the Dakar Rally six times.

Karel Loprais: Once upon a time in Dakar, coolers stuck with everything, even bread

“In the years 1988-2001 he won a total of six times and at the time of his sixth championship he was the most successful Dakar racer in history,” reads the website www.loprais.cz, which provides detailed information about the racing success of his nephew Aleš Loprais.

Karel Loprais was also elected the Czech motorsport athlete of the century, he won the Golden Steering Wheel several times in his category and in 2007 he received the Golden Steering Wheel for his lifelong contribution to motorsport.

INTERVIEWS for the media are part of Karel Loprais' life.

Six-time Paris-Dakar Rally winner: I’ve fulfilled a lot of those dreams

Dakar statistics by Karel Loprais

Dakar Rally: 19 participations

1st place: 6x1988 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Tomáš Mück TATRA
1994 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Josef Kalina TATRA
1995 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Tomáš Tomeček TATRA
1998 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Jan Cermak TATRA
1999 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Josef Kalina TATRA
2001 Karel Loprais / Petr Hamerla / Josef Kalina TATRA

2nd place: 4x 1987 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Jaroslav Krpec TATRA
1996 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Tomáš Tomeček TATRA
2000 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Petr Gilar TATRA
2002 Karel Loprais / Petr Hamerla / Josef Kalina TATRA

3rd place: 1x (Paris – Cape Town)
1992 Karel Loprais / Radek Stachura / Josef Kalina TATRA

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