ManlleuWhen values and commitment go ahead of competition and victory, milestones such as that of Gerard Farrés (Manresa, 1979) pass. The Catalan rider came first in the general stage in the last stage of the Dakar and had everything in mind to take his first victory in the toughest race in the world. Outside, it looked like he could finally fulfill his dream, but he decided to keep his word and let his teammate win after receiving team orders. He had joined the South Racing project to help Austin Jones win, and during the five minutes he stood in front of the finish line, his commitment to those who had bet on him was not reconsidered.
It’s been a few weeks since you came back. How do you feel now that it’s all over?
– Of great satisfaction, especially because months ago I did not know if I could go to the Dakar. I was able to participate as a gregarious to help my teammates and now I see myself having won a stage, leading the rally and we ended up doing seconds. Being there makes you learn a lot and I really enjoyed it. We have gone from not competing to doing what we have done, I am very happy.
The mental strength to cope with those sacrifices must be enormous.
– I have been working with psychologists for twenty years, and we had to reinforce this work a lot; especially by Diego Ortega [el seu copilot] when we were there. He was not used to these situations: he had never won a stage victory, nor had he led, and he had not been seen receiving team orders. It is a task that had to be done and every day, when we finished the stage, we called our psychologist. The values of each person are very important and Diego and I share the commitment and teamwork. At no point did I consider not obeying the orders we were given. I want to grow up and have always been a very unselfish person. I thought more about the team and being able to grow. Obviously I have a dream of winning the Dakar and when you have it so close it crashes, but if you have a very clear base of your values, you have to take it on.
Have you had any thoughts of disobeying and winning the Dakar?
– There is the devil and the angel. The devil tells you to fuck him, but the angel reminds you to be thankful. Scott Abraham [propietari de South Racing] it gave me a chance to compete in the Dakar again. A few months ago I wasn’t going to participate and I ended up competing for the best car. It’s always good to look back because otherwise it would be very easy to pull right.
You had real options to win the Dakar from the start.
– Everything was positioned well from the beginning. We worked for the team and there were four cars, but two were out of action due to problems and then we saw that we only had one driver in front. That our partner was first meant that if we went as fast as he did, we would be there. Everything was aligning. Winning the stage and always being in the top three or four made us see our chances. Not to win, because inside I didn’t want to see it, but to be on the podium.
When you see yourself as the leader of the general, what do you think?
– Of a gang, he said: “Shit!” [riu]. I remember we were waiting for our teammate who was first in the overall but had come out from behind and we saw that as they were taking a long time, we were becoming leaders. Diego and I looked at each other and said, “What a problem!“In the end there was tension, it was very important that Austin Jones won. I had given my word to him and the team that would help him. Halfway through, in a refueling in which we have 20 min to put gas, he came and looked at my GPS and saw that I was in front of him. He got very nervous and I reassured him, “I’m defending my podium, not fighting you.”
When I see myself as the leader of the general, I think, ‘Shit!’ ”
The reality is that you can’t control him from having mechanical problems and standing still.
– Totally. What the team didn’t want was to risk him or me not winning either. It wasn’t easy at all, but we did well. We were very clear about our role and how far we could go. We worked with a very good communication and with our commitment that we came to help Austin.
You reach the last stage leader of the general, with everything in mind to win. When and who gives you the order to let you win?
– Every morning I would get up and go see the team leader and he would explain to me what they needed from us. Especially because sometimes in team orders, if there is no good communication, things can happen, and I didn’t want that. We talked that day and he told me we were doing the 300 mile link and he would be there to tell me what to do. When we arrived he told me, “We think if you go at a conservative pace, not to go and win the stage, and you stop for five minutes, you won’t lose second place because you have a 15-minute margin.”
How were those five quiet minutes?
– They became very hard. I tried not to think about it and not turn around so as not to stray from the goal. I told Diego to get out of the car, and I counted: one, two, three … I was looking at my watch. At four he got back in the car and we entered the finish line. When we crossed it we started to cry, not out of rage or losing the first place, just for doing the job. It was an immense joy to be on the podium. Even though I’m really looking forward to winning the Dakar, I’m not so selfish as to break my word or team orders. I think we have values that are worth a lot more and these have been stronger than the selfishness of winning a career that I have always dreamed of winning. It was just gas and it was ours, it’s true, but I hope this helps us in the future.
Even though I’m really looking forward to winning the Dakar, I’m not so selfish as to break my word or team orders. ”
What do they tell you from the team when you cross the finish line?
– I owe it to Scott. Every day he gave me orders, especially the last three days we were leading the general, he would tell me with teary eyes. He was between the sword and the wall. After all, he defends a brand and for the US it was very important for an American driver to win, for sales and for sponsors, but he was aware that I could not fulfill my dream for what he was asking of me. With his look and tone of voice he showed me a lot of respect. When we reached the finish line he hugged me tight and said, “Gerard, you already have the 2023 Dakar.” With the hardships I had this year to get there, for him to tell me this before Austin arrived and his victory was assured, it was special. He knew that I had done everything he had told me, that he had kept my word.
Do you think they doubted that you did?
– I hope not. The day Austin saw me with the most advanced GPS, it is true that he was worried. I looked him in the eye and gave him my word. It’s the most important thing I have. When I reached the finish line I reminded him that I had not failed him.
