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Reaching an incredible height of 6,677 metres with the Ténéré World Raid GYTR in full stage 3 setup , Pol Tarrés set a new record for the highest altitude achieved on a twin-cylinder motorcycle . During the reconnaissance phase of the attempt , Tarres also set a new record for the highest altitude ever reached on a single-cylinder motorcycle , ascending to 6,756 metres on the cross country specific Yamaha YZ450FX .
Being a Ténéré ambassador , Tarrés was determined to achieve a new record on the 700 World Raid . Both records were registered on a dual GPS and verified by three guides as the guidelines prescribe . Official ratification of the two world records will take several weeks .
The expedition team comprised Pol Tarrés , Javi Echevarria ( project manager ), Miguel Echevarria ( film crew ), Ahikar Azcona ( Yamaha ambassador & team support ), Joan Espasa ( film crew ) and mountain guides , Gerardo Bauty , Cristian Órdenes , Thomas Caballero , and Juan León . Supported by Yamaha Motor Europe , Marc Bourgeois and Yamaha Motor Chile .
“ Preparing for this challenge was difficult , many said it could not be done ,” declared project manager , Javi Echevarria . “ But we as a team know that exactly that is what drives Pol , to do exactly what no one thinks possible . It was really a team effort – and would have been impossible without everyone involved .”
The target was to ascend Ojos del Salado , the highest volcano on earth , the second-highest mountain in the Andes and the highest summit in Chile . Several other athletes have attempted to conquer this uninhabitable place , with its steep rock inclines , scree slopes and snow drifts , yet none have enjoyed the same success as Tarrés and Yamaha thus far .
Having learned important lessons from the previous attempt , Tarrés and the entire TRECE Racing Society Team took two weeks to acclimatise in the Andes Mountain range . Even with Tarrés ’ s incredible physical condition , the altitude is a force that humbles most humans and altitude sickness was a constant companion for the team during this acclimatisation process .
After acclimatising , Tarrés and the TRECE team
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