From working on a construction site to debuting in the Dakar: “I’d like to take a chance, but if I don’t get anything in this Dakar, I’ll go back to work as a bricklayer with my father.”

The same thought slows him down for a few seconds each morning when he leaves the house to start training on his rally bike. “I have to go help my father.”think Arnau Jed (23 years old, Barcelona, ​​Taradel) made one of the most important decisions of his life in 2025. His plan was to quit working on construction sites with his father, a small-time self-employed construction worker specializing in renovations, so he could focus solely on preparing for his big dreams. pedrega team.

Cuico had been assisted by his son since 2023, after Arnau completed an intermediate degree in industrial mechanization (he worked in this field for a year) and tried out as a mechanic at a workshop in town. From then on, Arnau acted as a worker and became Cuico’s only help. His boy was his right-hand man. your support. This made him bend less, work faster, and become an invaluable companion. The two split the job for two years, with Arnau combining cement and scaffolding with motorcycle training. It meant a double sacrifice. After working long hours, he had to give his all on two wheels despite the physical fatigue of the working day, train on the weekends and run as much as possible. Therefore, it was impossible to hone all the talents of this gem and find its limits in raids.

A regular customer appeared

Fate wanted him to meet a former Dakar motorcycle racer who made it possible to change his mentality and approach. If I really wanted to commit to the Dakar, I needed a plan and specific preparations. That was the advice. But that’s not all. The former pilot was happy to help me take the first important steps. He acted as a patron and paid much of the desire for the talent he saw in himself.

“I don’t have many sponsors or friends in town, but there is one individual who has helped me a lot this year. And I’m lucky to have him. Thanks to him and my dad and friends, we’ve been able to move forward.”said the person who informed the MD from Taradel. The man, whose name cannot be revealed, was the key to Arnau taking the most important step of his career this Saturday, making his first start in the Dakar.

“I have a private person who has helped me a lot this year, and I’m lucky to have him. Thanks to him and my dad and friends, we were able to move forward.”

Arnau Jed

After two years as a bricklayer, the time came for Arnau to make a choice. He chose an uncertain path with no guarantee of success other than his own desire and drive. The path to his desire to succeed in the Dakar, a childhood passion rekindled after five years of competing in motocross (2017-22), a discipline he wanted to leave behind in rallying after several serious injuries (fractured clavicle and cruciate ligaments in his knee in 2022). Arnau knew that if he wanted to earn his spot in Dakar, he couldn’t do things by half measures.

“In 2024, I combined rally running with work. I decided to focus solely on the bike in February 2025, thinking that I could achieve good results if I concentrated solely on rallying and prepared 100% for this challenge.Nevertheless, I went to help my father someday, but 80% of the time I have focused on my dreams.” highlighted this newspaper. Considering this, Cuico’s attitude should be emphasized. He never opposed what his son wanted. No matter how dangerous it is to race your bike at 140km/h in the world’s toughest race in the desert traps. Nor is it because of the fact that I will be left alone before his reforms.

“Fortunately, my parents, family, and friends have supported me every step of the way in this challenge and agreed to try to do what’s best for me. My father encouraged me to try, but if I found out I failed, I should come back and help him. If I arrive, that’s perfect, but if I don’t, I’ll go back to his side. Because he is working alone now. And sometimes, when I go to training, I see him going to work alone and I think: “Next time I’ll go help him.” Sometimes I said to him: “Dad, may I help you?” And he said, “No, don’t worry.”. But I also know I have to train. Otherwise, if you do two things, neither of them may work,” said the Taradel native ahead of his first Dakar.

“Sometimes I even said to him, ‘Dad, can you help me?'” And he told me, ‘No, don’t worry.’ ”

Arnau Jed

“In February I had the opportunity to put together a good calendar for the year with Rally of Portugal, Rally du Maroc, Baja Aragon and Dakar, and I thought: “If you train while working to create this calendar… If you train half-heartedly, you’ll arrive very tired from work, so the results won’t be good. There were many days when I just finished work and went to the gym exhausted.” He added of his decision:

ambitious goals

You no longer need to work and then train. His life became all about bikes. Just a bike. It was no wonder. And unlike many drivers who come to this event with the sole purpose of having a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Jed arrives at the Yanbu camp with a different goal that comes with added responsibility. It means that you want to shine step by step and overall in order to achieve the big goal of attracting the attention of the official team and future projects.

“The first goal is to finish. The second goal is to excel in some stages and be able to say ‘I’m here’. Then once the Dakar is over, if everything goes well, we’ll see if we get a proposal or we’ll look for a proposal and move on to a better project. That’s part of the uncertainty I face with this Dakar, to see what happens if it doesn’t go well or what if we do a good Dakar.” But the main goal is to achieve good results in the general classification in order to attract the attention of the team, either by implementing better projects and gradually approaching the official team, or attracting the attention of the big teams. ”he declares.

“Once this Dakar is over, I hope things go well. If not, I’ll go back to work with my dad and I’ll be happy, but I really hope it goes well and I can continue for many more years. I think I came to Dakar to stay, and I think we’re on the right track,” the pilot told MD.

“I hope things go well for me once this Dakar is over. If not, I’ll go back to work with my dad and I’m happy, but I very much hope it goes well and I can continue for many more years.”

Arnau Redo

Some might say that’s an impossible mission. But life is for dreamers. For the brave. If not, just ask Valencian Tosha Chalayna. He took the same step in 2021, making his debut as a privateer and finishing in an impressive 12th place overall, earning him the same position in 2023. Honda didn’t miss it and gave him the opportunity to do the “Pata Negra” bike. And a few months later, at Dakar 2024, he was already an official Golden Wing pilot. Why didn’t the same thing happen with Arnau?

Catalan does not set deadlines to achieve its goals. But he knows he has to shine no matter what in the short term. “The deadline for the challenge? Fortunately, there’s no pressure that everything has to be this year. But we’re very aware that this won’t last for many years due to economics. If the Dakar goes well this year, what will happen next year? Let’s see. And if it doesn’t work out, maybe we should take everything into account. I’ve already knocked on some doors for a race bivouac. “I still have a chance of finishing high, but in Morocco the tablet malfunction made things worse. I think we could be in the top 12 or 15 overall,” added Arnau, who looks to the future with confidence and enthusiasm.