Gas Gas ends the 
In this way, the Factory terminates aid for the season (only one race has been held) to its two riders, Adam Raga and Arnau Farre, so the situation is dramatic for both, especially for Raga, who last year was fighting for the title until the last race and is currently leading the national championship.
Adam Raga estimates he would need around €100,000 in support to finish the rest of the season. Right now he will receive the support of the RFME for the transfer of his bikes to the next three races of the world championship. Then we’ll see.
Below we reproduce Adam Raga’s statements in an exclusive interview with the newspaper AS, where he explains his dramatic situation in the first person.
“The problem is that Gas Gas had announced a pre-suspension of payments, but they assured that they were going to go ahead, because they have a series of capitalist partners with money. However, last Monday afternoon the suspension of payments was executed and, those same partners who were going to move everything forward, say that they are not going to the races anymore”.
“There is no official statement yet, but I have already been told that the team is not going to go to this weekend’s race in the Czech Republic, so now my problems are two. On the one hand, they leave me in a bad personal position, because I have not been paid anything or very little after the renewal I signed with them last August. And on the other hand, Gas Gas paid for all the expenses of the team, such as backpackers, mechanics or trucks and now I have to find a living to finish the season. I have to finance myself for the rest of the World Cup, which is almost everything.”
“We’re going to do everything we can. I have two official bikes and spare parts to pull all year round, but I have to find sponsors and funding to put together and take the team. I’m in a position to do well in the World Cup and I’m leading the National Championship. I want to keep winning and I’m very confident in my level.”. Any help will be welcomed by the Spanish rider, who calculates that “close to 100,000 euros are needed to be able to finish the season”.
The RFME is going to help him
“by covering the costs of transporting the bikes to the first three races, which are the Czech Republic, Sweden and England and then France, the United States, Andorra and Jerez”.
Raga insists that this sporting situation “is a drama no matter how much it was known that the brand was in a difficult situation, because it has been like this for ten years”.
And the worst thing is the look on one’s face in situations like this, especially when feeling cheated. This is the case of the four-time indoor world champion and two-time outdoor champion:
“Before renewing with Gas Gas, I had other offers, but they sold me the project well, they caught up with the pending payments and improved my contract, but now we are like this…”.
“I’m in good spirits and I’m motivated to find a way to stay in the races. When you find yourself in a situation like this, you have to fight to find solutions. And I think I’m going to get it. I’m 33 years old and, although when I was young I thought I would retire at 30, every year I feel better and I continue to enjoy riding the bike. As long as that lasts, I’ll keep doing trials.”
