In life, the ones who survive are the ones who know how to adapt to the changes that life throws at them and the ones who know how to take the hits. Oriol Vidal (Llambilles, Girona) is one of them. Double podium in the Dakar at the controls of a light prototype, his health began to slow down his sports career due to degenerative disc disease and two hernias, which caused him “vertigo and loss of sensitivity in his hands and legs .I experienced these symptoms for the first time in Dakar last year and the tests indicated that maybe my discs were worn out and that the inflammation affected some of my nerves.
An alarming situation that only punished his body during the competition, but despite the stress of the race it did not appear, neither in his daily life nor when he got into his car. ‘Uri’ is forced to replace his chip and realizes that he has to close one door to open another, but not before doing an examination of conscience and studying his time in motosport. “The balance I’m doing is very positive. I was able to fulfill several dreams and the first of them was to go to the Dakar, compete in six editions, complete three, make two podiums and become world champion (in T4, SSV or FIA W2RC Raid World Rally Light Vehicles), I feel satisfied”, although “I feel bad because this year I have to jump with the big car.”
And instead of staying at home and watching life through the window, he remembered his passion for cycling, a sport he took up as a form of preparation during his time as a pilot and in which he had the opportunity to become a professional, but he did. don’t dare As it would happen, when he began to suffer symptoms of degenerative disc disease, Oriol Vidal began to take the bike seriously, so he qualified to compete in the Gravel World Championship in Belgium with the Spanish team and during the race that he met a cyclist from a team UCI Continental Portuguese to whom he explained his situation. And he probably saw him so encouraged that he encouraged him to try, despite the fact that his age, 31 years old, and the future of current cycling, will not be easy for him.
As if he were his manager, his standard bearer talked to his team director “and magic was done”, so he signed his first professional contract for one year with the team. Portuguese team EFAPEL. This is not a simple operation. At first the director himself told Oriol that he didn’t see much of him even though he showed good numbers due to his lack of experience, but he definitely saw something in him that invested more money in the sponsor for sign him. “It’s a challenge for them and for me,” he confessed.
Vidal, a great fan of Peter Sagan, defined himself as a rolling cyclist with climbing skills, “but we have to finish to see what my cycling profile is. They have a lot of potential and I hope they can help “I have never had the means to dedicate myself to cycling as I have until now.” And if there is one thing that worries Oriol, more than his ability, it -know how to adapt to demands and pressures of the peloton, knows how to read the races.A reading that will certainly be with two of his good friends with whom he spends many hours on the bike, the professionals. Carlos Verona (Lidl-Trek) and Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural). “Carlos has told me to try it and Joel has warned me to prepare to suffer, but we’re going to have a good time.”
your dream? The ability to compete in an edition of Cycling Tour in Catalonia. “I’m very motivated and excited,” he added as he counted on his fingers the days left until his first training camp with the team in January.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
