Never in my life did I want to be a sports official - on a promise! I am a "racer" - having been quite successful. Competing in Trophies, Long-Trails and Rallies, battleing with the big ones, taking part in World Championship runs in 1995 - 2001. I finished first in my class at the Australian-Safari-Rally and UAE Dessert Challenge (Dubai), but beeing first overall at the El-Chott (back in the years when „Steini“ was doing it) was the kick. I had the pleasure to get to know incredible fellow sportsmen. Naming them all would fill a book...

 
Representative for many I would like to set apart Alfons Cerny, publisher of the Offroad. He's a visionary that influenced the Off-Road-Scene over decades. A racer like me, won his class at the „Dakar“. He was the first to cross the Soviet Union - 200 year after Alexander von Humboldt did so. 80.000 kilometers of pure adventure! And all of a sudden I had to accept my greatest defeat.I led my fellows into no mans land between the borders of Tunesia and Libya. Two days and nights between hope and fear can be a long time! Hasn't the Off-Road-Scene been generously nice to me? Haven't I encountered so many adventures of a kind that only Indiana Jones faces in the movies?

Out of the blue came up a question I was really frightened of: "Wolfgang, what would you need in order to organaize a rally successfully?" As you all know the desert can be inspiring. I asked myself if this was the chance to pay back what I was undergoing during all those years? Could I restrain myself from passing down my expierience? The answer is simple: NO!

The best ones of the Off-Road-Scene offered their help. Together we will work on our goals. The name was found instantly. The "Cross of Agadez" is the symbol of our convention.

The Respect for our participants - Enduros, Quads, Trucks or 4x4s - drives us to create an event taking place in the most breathtaking surroundings of the Sahara. The friends of the Sahara accompanying us will be led to World Heritage Sites and will have the chance to marvel at the Libyan history.

Everybody - beeing staff or participants -  should give their best for turning this event into a memorable success!

Special thanks goes to everybody making our dream come true. Meanwhile there are three investors, ensuring all financial apsects of the event. The staff is manned in the divisions "Race", "Medicals", "Catering", "Technical Service" and "International Press".

All our effort concentrates on our participants. This is what my name stands for.

Wolfgang Pasetti, Event Director