Francisco "Chaleco" López is a rally raid, motocross and enduromotorcycle rider. He was a winner of one stage of the 2009 Dakar Rally, three stages of the 2010 Dakar Rally finishing third overall, and one stage in the 2011 Dakar Rally finishing fourth overall. López began riding motorcycles at 4 years of age through the encouragement of his father Renato López, a national motocross champion. His nickname Chaleco comes from the Spanish for vest, particularly the vest used for race protection.
Career
In 1989 López came first in the Latin AmericanMotocross Championship in the 85cc class, which resulted in him becoming an official Honda rider. Between 1990 and 1994 he competed in the Chilean National Motocross Championship 125cc category, and was placed twice and won twice, and between 1995 and 2000 in the 250cc category of the same competition was placed once and won five times. He also won the Latin American Supercross Championship in 1998. , near Copiapó. In 2001 López became the first Chilean rider to receive a gold medal in the Six Days of France competition at Brive-la-Gaillarde. The following year he rode in the 250cc four-stroke enduranceworld championship in Finland, gaining eighth place. He finished tenth overall in the 500cc four-stroke category in the same event in 2003. After a gold medal in the 2003 Six Days of Brazil competition at Fortaleza he was named as "best rider of year" by Chilean sports' journalists. In 2004 he was national runner-up in super enduro, and participated again in the National Motocross Championship, and in Supermotard competitions. The following year he made his competitive debut in the Patagonia-Atacama Rally, withdrew through mechanical problems after winning the fourth stage, but finished in fourth position overall. He also debuted at the National Championship Motocross Entel, coming second in the 250cc category. In 2006 López was placed first in the 450cc category of Patagonia-Atacama Rally, second in the d'Italia Sardegna Rally, and second in the 450cc category of the Morocco Rally. He participated for the first time in the Dakar Rally in 2007 but had to withdraw during the race. Dakar 2008 was cancelled as a competition and replaced by an alternative, the Central Europe Rally, in which López came second. He returned to Dakar in 2009, winning the first stage and finishing seventh overall. The same year he was placed third in the Tunisia Rally. In the 2010 Dakar Rally he won the fifth, eighth and twelfth stage, was awarded first place in the 450cc category and third place overall. His Dakar third place, a position shared with his compatriot Carlo de Gavardo who competed in the 2001 Dakar Rally, is the highest placing of a Latin American at Dakar.
