After reflecting and assessing his possibilities, during the rest stage, Xavi Pes, who has several physical problems, decided to take it easy, not to take any more risks, to rest for a couple of days to rejoin the race from stage 9, although out of the standings, through the Dakar Experience.
With this, the ALL1/Rieju members are still in the race, with intense days full of very different emotions, from happiness when overcoming inhospitable routes with breathtaking landscapes, to moments of real tension, but the ALL1/Rieju has had to face today, one of the hardest and uncomfortable stages of the whole competition after learning the fateful news of the death of the pilot Carles Falcón, where the hardest thing has been not to lose concentration thinking about it.
Josep Pedró was once again the ALL1/Rieju rider with the best classification, finishing stage 9 in 34th place in the special stage and second Spanish rider overall (42nd), Josep Martí in 50th (46th overall), Carles Llibre in 61st (65th), Javier Amat in 62nd (60th overall), while Xavi Pes no longer scores in the classification, but remains in the Dakar Experience.
Carles LLibre:
"I'm accompanied by Javier Amat these days, making a team and a few more days, very tired, sleeping little and overcoming stages, this is starting to be close.
Stage nine completed, very happy for the work we have done, very touched by yesterday's news, I think that today despite the fact that it has been very extreme and that everything has gone well, there is not much to celebrate, we are all quite disjointed here, managing emotions because today we have enjoyed a lot, the classifications have gone well, but well, it is still very very difficult, positive in general, without great celebrations and go little by little that we have three days left ... let's go!
Josep Pedró:
"Stage 7 was very cool, very long but I enjoyed it, a comeback, with 480 kilometres... the rest day was forgotten, the bad thing is that the last 20 kilometres were stony like stage 1 and it was about to get dark, I made it, but it's a bummer for those who are behind.
In stage 8 I managed to keep a pace without mistakes or penalties and I wanted to finish this Dakar that is being very hard.
Stage 9 was very long and for me personally it was very hard and difficult. It was impossible not to keep thinking about Carles Falcón. I think it's the first stage that I've had a really bad time psychologically, it's very important to stay focused on the rally and today it was quite difficult. Even so, I'm very happy to continue and to be living this adventure".
The Dakar 2024 is nearing its end, but there are still three tough stages that will surely not let up in intensity until the last kilometre, although the ALL1 riders, supported by RIEJU, want to fulfil their dream and are proving to have unstoppable energy.
We send our deepest condolences to the family, friends and team of the rider Carles Falcón, who died yesterday from the injuries he suffered in a heavy fall at the end of the second stage of the Dakar. R.I.P.
