this category in the 2022 edition , the year of her debut . Now , after overcoming mononucleosis and competing in the last two rallies , she feels stronger and more experienced to fight for the final victory with the Rieju Team .
" I ' m pretty good , I ' m looking forward to it ," says Gomez . " I think it ' s something very important because it has been a very complicated year for me , I had mononucleosis during the summer and health-wise it has been a difficult year , but this is like a prize , a gift to have overcome the disease and start to be stronger . Now I feel much better , I ' ve been able to train for a few months , ride in Morocco and Andalusia , I ' m more prepared than last year for sure , I know what I ' m coming to mentally and how it is physically , although they say it will be a tough Dakar . We already tested the bike in the shakedown and everything is in order and ready , so let ' s rest what little we have left and hit the gas !"
Patricio Cabrera can achieve a world record by becoming the youngest Legend rider in the history of the event , therefore , the Chilean rider will wear green , in commemoration of the Legend collection that Rieju has presented on the occasion of its 80th anniversary .
" We are very happy , this is a very special Dakar for me ," says Cabrera . " I ' m becoming Legend this year because it is my tenth Dakar rally
VOL . 8 ISSUE 1 - JANUARY 2023 // PAGE 133