Photo: Monster Energy Racing
With only a few days separating us from the start of the 2017 Dakar Rally, the teams are preparing both physically and mentally to face the new challenge. Monster Energy’s Joan Barreda will make its seventh appearance in the greatest rally of them all, and he appears to be aiming high.
Joan says Dakar is his life, and you can pretty much see this reflecting in his results over the past few years, winning multiple times and getting podium after podium. And for 2017, the talented rider says he’s feeling better than ever.
“I believe that I’m better than ever,” Barreda said. “We have had a great year for both the preparation and the races. We’ve worked on the bike, strengthening its reliability and we’ve worked on fitness too with specific training regimes. We have got pace and good feelings; I hope not to make any mistakes which is fundamental to be in with a chance of winning. I have proven over the last few years that I’m up to the task, the only thing that has been missing is a bit of luck.”
This season has seen the ace able to train without injury in the built-up to the Dakar, gaining plenty of victories so far - the Baja Aragon, the Vegas to Reno, and the China Grand Rally.
Joan’s career began in motocross, where, after showing his talent and speed, he was selected by the Spanish Federation to compete in the 125 cc World Championship.
After a stint in the enduro class, he moved to rally-raid where he took the first place in the 2012 Baja Aragon. In 2013, the rider picked up some excellent results including four stage wins in the Dakar Rally and a podium finish in the Morocco Rally.
In 2014, Barreda took five stage victories in the Dakar Rally and was in the running for the overall win but a heavy fall in the penultimate stage settled him in the seventh place. However, he triumphed in Quatar and was third in Abu Dhabi, finishing third overall in the World Championship.
The following year he rode well in the Dakar until the ill-fated Uyuni Salt Lake stage which took him down. Still, the rider came away with four stage victories. 2016 was also bad luck as a mechanical setback ruined the Spaniard’s chances of an overall win.
“I believe that I’m better than ever,” Barreda said. “We have had a great year for both the preparation and the races. We’ve worked on the bike, strengthening its reliability and we’ve worked on fitness too with specific training regimes. We have got pace and good feelings; I hope not to make any mistakes which is fundamental to be in with a chance of winning. I have proven over the last few years that I’m up to the task, the only thing that has been missing is a bit of luck.”
This season has seen the ace able to train without injury in the built-up to the Dakar, gaining plenty of victories so far - the Baja Aragon, the Vegas to Reno, and the China Grand Rally.
Joan’s career began in motocross, where, after showing his talent and speed, he was selected by the Spanish Federation to compete in the 125 cc World Championship.
After a stint in the enduro class, he moved to rally-raid where he took the first place in the 2012 Baja Aragon. In 2013, the rider picked up some excellent results including four stage wins in the Dakar Rally and a podium finish in the Morocco Rally.
In 2014, Barreda took five stage victories in the Dakar Rally and was in the running for the overall win but a heavy fall in the penultimate stage settled him in the seventh place. However, he triumphed in Quatar and was third in Abu Dhabi, finishing third overall in the World Championship.
The following year he rode well in the Dakar until the ill-fated Uyuni Salt Lake stage which took him down. Still, the rider came away with four stage victories. 2016 was also bad luck as a mechanical setback ruined the Spaniard’s chances of an overall win.
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