Barreda: “Despite the problems, I come with options in the second week”

The dakar rally He is living on his rest day this Monday after an intense first week that established the drawings in various classifications. On motorcycles, he will be looking to fight for victory in the second week Joan Barreda.

The man from Castellón finished the first week in eighth place, 7:21 behind leader Skyler Howes. Despite the difficult moments, with a broken big toe on his left foot in the early days, Barreda explained that he is keeping his enthusiasm intact and that he is happy with how the race has progressed so far.

GOT PREGNANT BEFORE THE SECOND WEEK

“The truth is that you have to be satisfied because the goal of the first week, seeing that there are so many days of stones, which is not an easy terrain for me, is where I am. The road has not been easy. and all. Physically, because of the toughness of the race, but also because of the problems I had with Price’s fall, the blow to my leg in the second stage, when Pablo Quintanilla and I got lost… all this made us give up for a few hours. On the other hand aside, the rest has been very good, with consistency and very high speed. I’m happy.”

YOUR FIRST WEEK STRATEGY

“There are days when you are pushed a lot but you realize they are catching you from behind and everyone is running hard. There have been days, like yesterday, I decided to stay with the group at the end because my finger hurt. . In a different situation Maybe I pushed the group even more so that they don’t get too far, but that’s the goal. I hope now there are days when I feel good, I’m physically fit and my finger lets me. push without thinking too much. We’re with options and the desire to the maximum. If the situation arises, everyone knows that I will put everything there. What is clear is that there is no need to throw yourself in the first week and, despite all the problems, I have arrived there are options in the second”

A BIT HARDER

“In the first week, I think it was very difficult. There was a very long phase, like other years, but not so physical, not in so many continuous sands, dehydrating yourself, working on the bike and on the rocks. , the same. That’s tiring with the tiredness of each day. Let’s see from now on because they are like two different races on paper. Tomorrow we still have a line these days, but the last five will be more stages in the dunes pure. In addition, the bikes will start to suffer from the wear and tear of all these days. It’s not bad what has turned out for us so far. We started in a good position for the future but will come out also at the back the well placed riders with a better line than me. I don’t know tomorrow, because there will be 120 km of sands, which are few on paper, but they will definitely be soft sands gin, one of those small ones that make you get hooked on each one. For the one who opens, tomorrow will not be easy”

FRACTURE OF THE BIG TOE OF THE LEFT FOOT

“It’s true that in the dunes you always have to go up or down and these days I tried not to do this equipment. What I want is to reduce this pain a little, it’s the key to keeping strong. mentality because , otherwise, it’s hard. You drag it all day, not for a moment, it’s constant and psychologically burdensome. After the stage you notice how your finger is pumping blood, your finger ends. in the dust”

FAVORITES

“There is no one above the rest. There are many solid drivers, all of them out there now. Maybe especially Skyler or Kevin… but they all did well. Perhaps the most irregular is Sanders, but he is still there, because he’s been affected a bit by health. The Hondas have also had a good race from less to more and it’s going to be tight. It’s going to be tighter than ever. We’re used to everything being tighter every year, with more riders, and this year it will be even more”

THE CAUSE OF EQUALITY

“There are several things. The level of the race is super demanding in navigation and those in front tend to give up a lot of time. And that the level of the pilots has risen a lot, they all navigate, they all pull hard. I remember when I jumped the dunes, now the first 15 to jump. They told me I was crazy and now what’s going on, that everyone is? No, it’s changed, it’s another way of rallying”

WANT TO SUCCEED

“Of course I want it and I’m working on it. But I had to resign myself for many years at Honda, that’s true and it’s disappointing. I went from doing a perfect job in many stages and in the end, for one reason or another, Nothing. I’m used to it. I dream about it, I dream about more everyday things, to be able to enjoy, to have a quality of life, to make a stage in a beautiful place, do motocross.. That’s what really matters to me. It motivates me every day.

In the end, the Dakar is in these weeks and another 2-3 months working for it, but the rest of the year I want to have quality of life and enjoy other sports. That’s the story of life, in the end I got a lot of blows, a lot of blows… And I got out of some very deep and deep. That creates your personality and your thinking, because in the end I came out to be who I wanted to be, no matter how your mother criticizes you. I am always ahead, even when things are worse than in previous years. It gives you self-confidence and you also get a bit of yourself when you get hit all over the place. It is not easy to maintain a sports career for many years”