Joan Barreda I reached the finish line in pain. Stage 2, of 430 timed kilometers, from ‘Sea Camp’ a Alula, was one of the most difficult special stages ever recorded, as Barreda himself pointed out, along with many other drivers. It was a real torture for everyone, with lots of rocks and boulders. This was precisely the kind of terrain she didn’t like, and in the middle of a patch of head-sized rocks, Joan saved herself a fall with her left foot. He felt something was wrong. He never gave up and continued to fight, returning to unleash his unmatched spirit of fighting physical ailments, as he did many times during his participation in Dakar.
He saved the stage by giving up very little ground, solving a complex test very well, remaining only 2’03” from the overall lead, in the middle of the fight for everyone. But he did it with a big toe injury left foot which was confirmed in the tests done by the doctor. He suffered a fracture of the distal phalanx of that finger. The man from Torreblanca will have to get back on his motorcycle and take the pain as a ‘package’ as a partner in the coming stages. That was his will despite the fact that this Monday he was walking alone with the heel of his foot supported. The complication is even greater when you consider that you must use that foot every time you go up gears, pressing on the instep.
“We saw that the finger is broken and the only thing left is to try to treat the inflammation as much as possible, to see if it does not swell too much and find a bandage or some system that allows me to change and ride properly. in bike”, directed the pilot from Castellón, hoping to continue fighting despite this injury. “The times are very near. We’re all there in the end. Stage 3 (now) It won’t be easy because in the end a broken bone always causes discomfort, swelling… and it will be a limitation, but we will try to compensate for it in some way. We will give our best more than ever, nothing else”he commented.
Barreda already starred in a heroic last year. He did not give up when he lost by almost 42 minutes in stage 1B of 2022, attacking in the following days until he returned to the fight. In full recovery, at stage 5 he had a fall where he broke his clavicle and fractured his pelvis. Barely able to walk, he rode like a robot to his motorcycle the next morning to the applause of his team. It seemed impossible, but he continued to drop time and eventually finished 5th, matching his best position. Joan is facing what may be her last Dakar, and at the age of 39, she doesn’t intend to give up on it. He wants to let it all out.
Santolino, good stage
Lorenzo Santolino brought out his ‘endurera’ quality to excel in the stones he found in this stage 2, from ‘Sea Camp’ to AlUla. The Guijuelo rider, who paid the price on day one for going too far in front after a bad prologue, finished in 7th position on stage 2 just behind Barreda, 3’10” behind best day. Lorenzo remains in any match , in 13th position at 10’18”.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
