As the Dakar Rally reaches its halfway point, Laia Sanz takes stock of her participation so far in the 2012 edition. The reigning women’s Dakar champion is the only woman still in the race and occupies 51st position in the provisional motorcycle classification.
-In the fourth stage you had a fall and injured your right hand. How are you?
“The hand is all right. On the day of the crash I was very scared because my hand was very swollen and I couldn’t grip the handlebars. I thought I had broken it, but fortunately it wasn’t and in three days, and with the work of the physiotherapist (Miguel Ángel Domínguez), I’m already much better.
-After the first week, how are you feeling?
“I’m doing very well now. The truth is that the first three days were very hard for me and cost me more than the last ones. Maybe it’s because now I’ve gotten into the rhythm of sleeping little. Anyway, I think I’ve arrived very fit for the rest day, even yesterday in the final part of the stage I felt very good, which means I’m in good condition. I feel strong.
-Did you expect the first week to be so hard?
-The initial impression was that the Dakar would be very hard, because the first stages were quite difficult for me. Maybe there were fewer kilometres than last year but they were very slow to do and very physical, plus it was very hot and it was easy to get dehydrated.
-Last year you went into the rest day in 48th position. What do you think of your results in this edition?
I expected to be a little higher. If it wasn’t for the puncture that originated in the tank with the crash, which made me lose a lot of time, I would be much better qualified, especially because when you have a problem that sinks you in the classification, the next day it is very difficult to get into the rhythm. It happens that the people in front of you are slower than you, but they block you with the dust they raise and you can’t overtake them, and it ends up being a vicious circle.
-What can we expect from you for the rest of the race?
If I remain consistently in the top 50 I can improve on last year’s 39th place. The important thing is to be clear that you don’t have to run too much, but that you have to do it without haste, without taking risks and being aware that people will eliminate themselves. The Dakar is above all a race against oneself. Now we have changed the engine, to be safer also in terms of mechanics. There are many people who have preferred to wait, but I am afraid that some will have problems soon because the desert wears them down.
-How is the Gas Gas 450 going?
-The bike is working very well, without any problems. This project has been prepared in a very short time and without having done any training in Morocco, so it is logical that every day we see some detail to improve, but I am very satisfied.
-Last year you had Jordi Arcarons as a luxury backpacker. How about your new teammate Marc Guasch?
“I’m pleasantly surprised because I didn’t expect us to get along so well. We’re doing a magnificent job, I even think I’ve ridden more kilometres with him than last year with Jordi. Marc wants us to go calmly, he advises me very well and gives me a lot of peace of mind.
“You’re the only woman still in the race. What happened this year?
-In this edition of the Dakar there were only Rosa Romero and me in the motorcycle section. I was very surprised, but it is possible that the harshness of the Dakar has put more than one person off. I imagine that the economic moment will not have helped either… I would have liked to compete against more girls.
Source: LaiaSanz.com
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