His career seems to have been predestined: Dirk von Zitzewitz comes from a genuine motorsport family. His father as well as his brother Bert successfully contested motorcycle races, so it came as no surprise when Dirk in 1978 received his first motorcycle for his tenth birthday. He competed in his first race at age 14 and had his first Enduro title in his pocket five years later.
 
Even while he was studying architecture motorsport continued dominating his life. Dirk von Zitzewitz won as many as 15 Enduro championships before taking up the "Dakar” challenge. Again, he started out on two wheels. In 2002 he took advantage of the opportunity to switch into a cockpit – then as co-driver for Mark Miller. In 2005 his achievements earned him a slot in Volkswagen’s factory team. Since the 2006 season he has been navigating Giniel de Villiers at whose side in January 2009 he celebrated his major exploit so far, the "Dakar” victory.
 
Still, he has not completely forgotten his roots on two wheels: Enduro riding continues to be part of the fitness training of the man from North Germany. In addition, he organises motorcycle tours and training courses. In his leisure time he enjoys taking long walks on the beaches of the nearby Baltic Sea together with his wife Sabine.