Fabio Fasola, eternal champion at the age of 61 at the Paris Dakar

The Vogherese is preparing for the legendary race, he will compete with a Honda “I’ve been riding a motorcycle for 54 years, the mental approach is fundamental”

VOGHERA

Fabio Fasola is rewriting the longevity records of the off-road vehicle. The driver from Voghera, close to 61, announces his participation in the next Paris Dakar, the legendary race for rally enthusiasts. Fasola will be riding a Honda 450 of the Rs Moto team: «The stimulus comes from the possibility of participating in the Dakar with a new bike. After 35 years of Austrian motorcycles, the idea of ​​approaching a Japanese motorcycle fascinates me very much. As I often say: it is easier to adapt to the bike than to adapt the bike to the rider ».

the preparation

The champion from Voghera is therefore ready to try his hand for the fifth time with the pitfalls and adrenaline that only the Dakar can transmit: «For me it is a new challenge. In the last participation, I stopped two days from the end due to the breakage of the swingarm pivot, which later turned out to be defective. I’m starting the preparation, which will ferry me to the start of the first stage of the Dakar, scheduled for December 31st. The next edition will also take place in Arabia, through an unprecedented route of 14 stages, for a total of 10 thousand kilometers, of which almost 6 thousand of special stages ». The organizational machine in view of the Dakar has already started, and Fasola does not want to leave anything to chance: «I train with the bike in the beautiful territory that belongs to the Moto Club Valle Staffora, in the so-called Maginot. In preparation, I dedicate myself to the aerobic part, with long walks and the use of the e-bike. I am also defining the sponsorships that will support me ».

an example

Fasola is aware of being an example of perseverance and dedication. After having crossed the 60-year mark, the rider from Voghera is ready to challenge himself: “I’ve been riding the bike for 54 years, I’ve never stopped, maybe it’s really material for the Guinness Book of Records … For the experience that I have accumulated, I can say that the mental approach is fundamental. You find yourself braving the cold, the heat, the sand, the hours in motion, the kilometers. I trust in my experience, with the aim of getting to finish the Dakar. Then, along the way, I’ll see how to manage the result ». In reality, Fasola may not be the longest-lived among the riders at the starting line. In fact, Franco Picco, class of ’55, another world off-road guru, is also announced at the start from Saudi Arabia: “He has several Dakars more than me, he is a veteran of this race, he knows how to combine talent and experience” . There is only one secret that pushes Fasola to continue to compete with a world-wide competition: “Only the fire you have inside can lead you to face this challenge”. –

ALESSANDRO QUAGLINI