Mononucleosis won’t stop Sandra Gomez at Dakar 2023

Sandra Gomez (Cercedilla, 1993) Relaxing among the rocks. Another thing. Share with them the rigors of an athlete who never gives up.he is an expert in hard enduro, the most difficult modality. And in it, he made history.that is First woman to finish the famous Redbull Romaniacs in top class (Gold), First to occupy the front starting line at the Red Bull Erzberg Rodeo and the First Spanish Champion of AMA Endurocross (2015). None of those races could be with her. Not even Dakar 2022.

Sandra debuted last year with a modality she didn’t have: faster, more complex navigation. However, he reached the finish line and achieved his goal of adding invaluable learning to work even harder towards the 2023 Dakar.

After Dakar 2022, she arrived in high spirits. Hard she had to face the Enduro World Championship. But something went wrong. “In the second race I started to realize that something was wrong with me. It’s been like this for two months. I even spent two days sleeping.”They then diagnosed him mononucleosisIts symptoms are, among other things, a lot of fatigue, fever and headache. He was seen in bed with no effort. “I had to quit completely. I couldn’t even do sit-ups.”It’s been 2 months like that.

“The hardest part was not knowing when it would heal. I stood up and said: ‘Okay, I accept skipping the races in June and July. I was thinking of competing, but I can’t do either…”. And I kept asking myself: “Can we come back in September?” That was the question, the uncertainty. I was very tired and didn’t know anything for sure until I was told I was fine. When I started moving, I was very tired.”he tells MD.

“One day we climbed a mountain and I was sick for three days. increase.

“I have to put money in and go to Dakar.”

Sandra relies on her sponsor to go to Dakar. Must take money out of one’s pocket to complete one’s budgetrecognizes that being there is key to that visibility and the added sponsorship of the year. It was clear. He told them that he could not guarantee that he would be able to go to Dakar. But they waited for her and encouraged her.

By the end of August, the disease was gone. Due to fatigue, he was not going to the Morocco Rally, but he was there. “I couldn’t run fast because it was dangerous. I didn’t have the strength to hold the bike.”And he obeyed. Finished 18th in Rally2.

Weakened and had less defense, more wounded. His torn psoas, and what he used to brake was his fingers, and in November he had a cold that kept him in bed for five days. “I’ve never had a cold like this in my life!” And two weeks before Dakar, he had a new surprise: the onset of a lumbar disc herniation.

“What I can do is I got stronger, especially my arms were very weak. When I went out on the motorcycle in the mountains, in the enduro, well, I got better, but not in the rally The motorcycle Enduro weighs about 110 kg, the Dakar weighs 160 kg and in the sand well…” emphasizes the Spanish pilot MD.

one less job

Mononucleosis prevented him from attending his second job.I’m a stunt rider Participated in the filming with (specialist pilot for series and films) “La Casa de Papel” and “Sky Rojo”However, it didn’t make it to the screen this year. It took a toll on his economy and he had to double down to offer more pilot courses, leaving hours of preparation he didn’t have to spare.

But for such a tough athlete, that wasn’t going to stop her. She was second in women’s motorcycles last year, finished in 62nd place overall. Nevertheless, he believes his second Dakarian adventure will be even better. “Now I know what I’m going to find. My goal is to finish and win the women’s division and move up from last year.”This is Sandra Gomez. There is nothing she can do with her. After a difficult year, he is optimistic going into his 2023 Dakar.