03
Mar
BACK FROM DAKAR
Finally, we got to meet Juan after his magnificent performance at the Dakar Rally 2021.
We wanted him to tell us in person about this adventure and this is what he told us:
- Dynatech: Welcome, Juan and congratulations on the extraordinary Dakar that you raced this year. How did it go and, above all, how are you feeling?
- Juan: Well, this was a very, very difficult Dakar, especially because of the fall I had. It was extremely hard because you find yourself physically drained and with your head spinning.
But I’m definitely happy to have finished it. I was struggling a lot to finish, since I was more outside than in. But, above all, because I was able to bring brands like Dynatech that supported me right to the end, that’s the important thing; as well as finishing in a good 15th position.
Little by little, I’m recovering from the injury to my finger, knee and ankle; and, in fact, because I feel a bit better now, we’ve already started training again.
- Dynatech: You had a bad crash in one of the intermediate stages. What happened to you and how did it affect you for the rest of the Dakar?
- Juan: That was a very hard day for me. It was a 550 km stage and, at 500 km, I fell when I was riding at 140-145 km/h. I lost consciousness and I can’t remember anything else.
A colleague saw me fall and explained to me what happened - because I couldn’t remember. I did the last 50 km of the stage as best I could, but I didn't remember anything until I reached the finish line and saw where I was on the Dakar banners. At the finish, a friend who is a member of the organisation panel, told me to go and see the medics as my finger was completely bent. My head was spinning and I went to the organisation's hospital.
They gave me a check-up there and told me that I shouldn't ride the next day.
But I didn’t want to give up. I was determined and told them to give me an injection so I could continue, and they did.
Following the fall, I lost 10 minutes every day; because I had to sit down on the bike, as I couldn't stand up with my knee as it was.
But, gradually, I recovered, and in the last stage I managed to finish in 7th position.
- Dynatech: The competition is very tough, even in the team itself, where you managed to finish ahead of your Rieju teammates. Is that always very important to you: to be the first in your team? Do you think one day you might get a podium finish? You’ve come close in a number of Dakar rallies; with two 5th places under your belt.
- Juan: It is possible to be with the frontrunners, but you need a certain amount of resources. The official bikes run a lot, the official teams are very large and they have a lot of information. If you are always chasing, the Arabian Desert is different.
Also, the younger riders are very strong, with a lot of resources and with very powerful bikes; they have very good information on the stages and, unfortunately, there is not much navigation, which is what suits me very well ...
Official motorbikes cost between from €300,000 to €400,000; mine is worth €35,000. That’s another difference.
- Dynatech: You’re a veteran of this event now, having been to 13 rallies. Will there be a 14th?
- Juan: Definitely! There’s a 14th edition for me because I feel very well physically. I have a lot of pace, a lot of navigation, I’m very competitive and I don’t lack courage! The same goes for the sponsors who are always there helping me. I really like the bike and I’m still very motivated.
I really want to see what happens in the next Dakar. There’s a lack of navigation, so I'm sure things are going to change. We can't go at an average of 126 km/h in the stages, so I think more navigation is going to change things.
- Dynatech: And what are your plans for the rest of 2021?
- Juan: 2021 starts with new projects. We hope we can practise, as the pandemic is hitting us hard. We have things in mind, but nothing confirmed at the moment. There is something pretty big related to image, but ... little by little I’ll tell you about it.
Juan, a big man, well over 6 feet, capable of flying across the desert sands – and how!
The Dynatech management team, meeting Juan at the entrance. From left to right:
Javier Sastre (Production Director), Ramón del Cacho (Integration Laboratory Director), Javier Andreu (Quality Director), Beatriz Pueyo (Purchasing Director), Francisco Mateo (CEO), Miguel Caballero (Administration Director), Juan Pedrero, Víctor Navaz (R&D co-director), Olga Lacámara (R&D Director)
We wanted him to tell us in person about this adventure and this is what he told us:
- Dynatech: Welcome, Juan and congratulations on the extraordinary Dakar that you raced this year. How did it go and, above all, how are you feeling?
- Juan: Well, this was a very, very difficult Dakar, especially because of the fall I had. It was extremely hard because you find yourself physically drained and with your head spinning.
But I’m definitely happy to have finished it. I was struggling a lot to finish, since I was more outside than in. But, above all, because I was able to bring brands like Dynatech that supported me right to the end, that’s the important thing; as well as finishing in a good 15th position.
Little by little, I’m recovering from the injury to my finger, knee and ankle; and, in fact, because I feel a bit better now, we’ve already started training again.
- Dynatech: You had a bad crash in one of the intermediate stages. What happened to you and how did it affect you for the rest of the Dakar?
- Juan: That was a very hard day for me. It was a 550 km stage and, at 500 km, I fell when I was riding at 140-145 km/h. I lost consciousness and I can’t remember anything else.
A colleague saw me fall and explained to me what happened - because I couldn’t remember. I did the last 50 km of the stage as best I could, but I didn't remember anything until I reached the finish line and saw where I was on the Dakar banners. At the finish, a friend who is a member of the organisation panel, told me to go and see the medics as my finger was completely bent. My head was spinning and I went to the organisation's hospital.
They gave me a check-up there and told me that I shouldn't ride the next day.
But I didn’t want to give up. I was determined and told them to give me an injection so I could continue, and they did.
Following the fall, I lost 10 minutes every day; because I had to sit down on the bike, as I couldn't stand up with my knee as it was.
But, gradually, I recovered, and in the last stage I managed to finish in 7th position.
- Dynatech: The competition is very tough, even in the team itself, where you managed to finish ahead of your Rieju teammates. Is that always very important to you: to be the first in your team? Do you think one day you might get a podium finish? You’ve come close in a number of Dakar rallies; with two 5th places under your belt.
- Juan: It is possible to be with the frontrunners, but you need a certain amount of resources. The official bikes run a lot, the official teams are very large and they have a lot of information. If you are always chasing, the Arabian Desert is different.
Also, the younger riders are very strong, with a lot of resources and with very powerful bikes; they have very good information on the stages and, unfortunately, there is not much navigation, which is what suits me very well ...
Official motorbikes cost between from €300,000 to €400,000; mine is worth €35,000. That’s another difference.
- Dynatech: You’re a veteran of this event now, having been to 13 rallies. Will there be a 14th?
- Juan: Definitely! There’s a 14th edition for me because I feel very well physically. I have a lot of pace, a lot of navigation, I’m very competitive and I don’t lack courage! The same goes for the sponsors who are always there helping me. I really like the bike and I’m still very motivated.
I really want to see what happens in the next Dakar. There’s a lack of navigation, so I'm sure things are going to change. We can't go at an average of 126 km/h in the stages, so I think more navigation is going to change things.
- Dynatech: And what are your plans for the rest of 2021?
- Juan: 2021 starts with new projects. We hope we can practise, as the pandemic is hitting us hard. We have things in mind, but nothing confirmed at the moment. There is something pretty big related to image, but ... little by little I’ll tell you about it.
Juan, a big man, well over 6 feet, capable of flying across the desert sands – and how!
The Dynatech management team, meeting Juan at the entrance. From left to right:
Javier Sastre (Production Director), Ramón del Cacho (Integration Laboratory Director), Javier Andreu (Quality Director), Beatriz Pueyo (Purchasing Director), Francisco Mateo (CEO), Miguel Caballero (Administration Director), Juan Pedrero, Víctor Navaz (R&D co-director), Olga Lacámara (R&D Director)