Pont Grup rider Javi Vega achieved a milestone by becoming the first Spaniard to stand on the podium in the Dakar’s toughest category, Motul’s Original. The man from Madrid faced his fifth participation in the Dakar, for the first time without his inseparable Sara García, who wanted to prove himself and the satisfaction was great, having achieved a creditable second place, as well entering the top 30 of the motorcycle general classification. .
“I don’t see it as crazy to be on the podium. When Sara had surgery, I thought it was possible that she wouldn’t go to this Dakar and since February I started training for myself, made a change of pace, pick the pace, etc. I know I can get up there. My goal is to be on the podium no matter what.”
But Vega already made history a few days ago by becoming the first Spaniard to win an episode of the Original. In fact, it has been achieved twice in this edition. “It’s very beast. From the first day I won the stage I said to myself, ‘it’s possible to be on the podium’. The next day I left very motivated”
This dentist by profession and freeskier completed a very consistent rally from start to finish, leading the standings with two stages remaining. A fall and navigation failure on the penultimate day complicated the final fight for gold, which went to South African Charan Moore.
Javi Vega, who couldn’t hold back his tears when he reached the finish line, closed this Dakar 2023 with a time of 52h 45′ 43″, 21′ 01″ just behind Moore after almost 4,700 km hours . “We held the first position. There are many days and many things can happen, you also have to have a bit of luck. With Moore there were days where I won, others he won. We took turns. The boy was very fast. I tried to push but I fell. Doing a clean Dakar is very difficult.”
What this man from Madrid did in the purest category of Dakar, without help and not sleeping much and weak in tents, has the greatest merit, although Vega is used to facing fatigue and suffering in this competition. It should be remembered that, among his participations, in the 2021 edition he finished the race with four broken ribs, a pneumothorax and a hemothorax after a very serious fall in the last stage. Despite severe pain, Javi finished the 170 km that separated him from the finish line. In 2022, he lived a sweeter and less eventful life culminating in a beautiful moment that went around the world when he proposed to Sara on the final podium.
Competing without his girlfriend, who is recovering from a knee injury, is completely different “I went from the adventure of survival to the pure and hard race. If you choose me what kind of Dakar would like me, I can’t say You. I enjoy him a lot and it’s for my own ego”.
While descending from the clouds, Vega has a few hours left to go home, rest, recover from his injuries and eat his long-awaited Mediterranean dishes. And who knows if in a few months he will start preparing to try to climb the first drawer.
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.
