23 Jun 2023

With a few Motocross titles from across the continent under his belt and having once left the legendary Ross Branch in a cloud of dust, Kosmas Mamaloukous is ready to take on the Desert Race for the third time.

The 19-year-old, who started riding bikes at two and half years, began competing nationally in 2006 with a 50 Cubic Centimetres (cc) Motocross bike.

“It started as a hobby. My dad liked riding bikes which just made it easier to groom me from a young age. As I grew older I became more conscious and developed a liking for the sport and got into the technicalities of riding,”he told BOPA, adding “that’s where I started looking up to other riders for idols.”

It’s a passion that runs in the family, as he follows in the footsteps of two older siblings, Alex and Katerina, who were also motocross racers. In fact, Alex still dabbles in the sport, and could have lined up alongside his brother in this year’s desert race.

From a 50 cc motorbike, Mamaloukous jumped to a 65 cc the same year that he sat the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).

“My hard work paid off because I passed my PSLE and in that year I won the 65 cc Motocross Championship in Botswana,” he said.

In 2015, he graduated to the 85 cc, and he finished third in the Motocross of African Nations in Kenya as part of Team Botswana that included  Vincent Crosbie and Ross Branch.

“After moving to the 85 cc, I was struggling a bit,” he recalled. “I did a few races in South Africa, and I only started improving significantly in 2016.”

Stepping up to the 125 cc in 2018, he entered his first desert race that year, which he didn’t finish as both his bikes broke down.

The following year, Bokomo Botswana came to his aid and bought him a new 125 cc which he rode in the 2019 edition of the desert race in Selebi-Phikwe.

It was in the 2019 race that Mamaloukous experienced what he calls the worst crash of his career.

“I did my time trial on Friday, I was seventh at the time and finished fourth in Saturday’s 500 km. So Sunday morning I started fourth, but unfortunately I ended up crashing, and that was one of the biggest crashes I’ve ever had in my life,” he recalled.

In 2020, Mamaloukous started riding the 25O cc whilst doing Form 5 at Ledumang Senior Secondary School.

Last year was by far his best season, having won the Botswana Motor Sport (BMS) national overall senior championship, as well as the Khawa Dune Challenge Cheetah Bikes (Professional Seniors Category). He then upgraded to a 450 cc bike which he acquired towards the end of 2022.

“I have been riding it consistently since December trying to get used to it. Since I still have my 250, as of this year I use it for motocross, and the 450 for cross country and off-road racing,” he said.

Sharing his memorable highlights, Mamaloukous, who has participated in over seven African Nations motocross events, reminisced how he once managed to keep two Dakar Race veterans, Vincent Crosbie and John Kelly, behind him at the Two Rivers race in Metsimotlhabe that he won.
“I also raced with Branch last year in a BMS national in Jwaneng which was about 200 km. I was on my 250 cc which earned me second place, emerging second in the overall for the day. I was behind Branch by three minutes, which means I arrived before he could even undress,” he said with a chuckle, as he discusses the friendly rivalry with one of his early heroes.  
Mamaloukous recalled one nightmarish experience at a race in Uganda when victory escaped from his grip.
“My bikes did not arrive on time because of transport issues, so we hired bikes,” he said.
On race day, the rider’s wheel got stuck, giving him a rough start which he somehow managed to navigate, placing him a racer away from victory. A short distance from the finish line, his bike developed some mechanical faults. “So I came all the way from last, to second, but ended up not finishing the race,” he said, adding that the whole Uganda experience was unpleasant.
Mamaloukous remains steadfast in his quest to one day contest in a prestigious event like the Dakar Race.
Despite the calm appearance, he said his preparations for the upcoming Desert Race have been nerve-wrecking.  “But I do my best to stay calm and take it as a normal race. That way I’m not overcome by anxiety, or any distractions,” he said.

He has been preparing himself mentally, physically and emotionally for, as he puts it, 1000 km is a long way to be on a saddle.

“I’m 100 per cent (ready), my bike is also 100 per cent, and I am going out there to have fun. My main aim is to finish the race, despite previous experience. I’m just aiming to finish, but if we get a podium finish it’d be cherry on top,” Mamaloukous said.

He hopes that history does not repeat itself, as he has been unsuccessful twice. “Once I had mechanical issues, the second time I crashed. This is my third Desert Race. So for someone who has never completed the race, it becomes a major goal to just finish. Obviously at the back of my mind, I am gunning for a podium finish. But my main aim is just to finish in one piece with my bike intact,” he said.

The young rider who carries the nation’s hopes, said ‘we have the time trial friday, which is a 50 km trial meant to get the times that will determine who is starting where. So if I’m the fastest, then I start first on Saturday,” he said.

With a dream to study aircraft engineering, the young rider encourages parents to be accommodative of their children’s pursuits. “Give them the freedom to choose,” he said. “For instance, this sport is very expensive, but support from my parents makes it easier.”

Mamaloukous invited other young Batswana to come and watch him practice at the Mmopane track.

It’s been six years since Bokomo Botswana has been rallying behind Mamaloukous, and in this year’s Desert Race, the racer will be donning White Star branded gear.

The company’s Marketing Coordinator, Carol Kgomotso said this year they are a full sponsor.

“We are always keen to show support beyond the maintenance of bikes,” Kgomotso said.  “We think that the future is bright for him. There are so many talented people interested in the sport, but they are deterred by the cost involved, so our sponsorship addresses that.”

Mamaloukous will be taking part in the upcoming Desert Race in the OR 1/Open Class, and he promises to give it his all. Ends