Sandra Gomez shares her thoughts on racing Rally du Maroc in bike category on October 4 – 11. Having recently signed with Fantic Factory Rally Team, Sandra embraces the opportunity to race the World Rally-Raid Championship Final Round in Morocco, as precursor to racing The Dakar Rally on January 3 – 17, 2025.
With 112 rider’s entered in Rally du Maroc Rally 2 category – and only 3 women – Sandra has already accumulated a massive amount of experience, knowledge, and mental fortitude to compete in the toughest races in Motorsport. From achieving the historical record as first female to complete Red Bull Romaniacs Gold class, to taking multiple victories in Women Trials GP, Trials Des Nations, and Enduro Championships, to winning 2024 E Xplorer Women’s World Championship – the Spanish rider has a diverse set of skills unparalleled amongst the best rider’s of the world.
For certain, Sandra’s determination to compete in the most physically demanding races has undoubtedly strengthened her resolve to face and overcome the many challenges of racing varying disciplines. In just a month, Sandra has tested Fantic Team’s Rally bike in Italy for the first time, increased road bike training, studied road book operations and watched films on riding in Morocco’s terrain, in between racing E Xplorer Final Rounds in Switzerland – winning Women’s World Championship 2024.
All of which suggests, Sandra operates at full gas, and makes sure her thought process focuses on the task at hand.
Sandra: ”Well I haven’t been on the Rally bike since my visit to Italy to to see the factory, then I was racing E Xplorer. I did longer trainings on the road bike so it really will be a big challenge to jump on the bike and focus again on the road books. I haven’t used the road books since my last Dakar so it’s just training with different exercises like reading a book and studying TV films to focus my attention on the race. I’m super nervous to see how everything will work and how I will feel on the bike in the dunes and in those incredible places – full of rocks”.
With 5 Stages plus Prologue, and a total of 2468kms with 1512kms timed, Rally du Maroc tests all rider’s, driver’s, and Team crew on the capabilities to race a half-Dakar – no less challenging as Sandra explains:
”Well definitely Rally of Morocco is always a big challenge from my side. I can say in the two rallies of Morocco that I have done, they have been super hard, super amazing and incredible places to race in, but it’s definitely not like – let’s go training for Dakar. Everything can happen there in one week and its half the time of the Dakar. Definitely, running in my mind is that it is a very big challenge, the Stages are super long. My goal will just be confident on this new bike and try to arrive at the bivouac’s as soon as possible, work with my team mates, and the mechanics, and with my new team. Yes, to be more confident for the Dakar, but the goal right now is to finish this Rally which is so hard too”.
Suffice to say, Sandra’s committment to race Rally du Maroc followed by The Dakar makes little room for off-season rest and recuperation. As Sandra admits, the challenging aspect of racing varying disciplines which are extremely physically demanding remains a double edged sword. From one perspective, seasonal racing would be alot easier competing in one discipline, under one Team, though the opportunities to further strengthen physical skills and mental tenacity would remain limited to racing on one bike.
Sandra: ”Since a had the call which asked me if I wanted to race Rally, I wouldn’t say that changes every single training. As, I also wanted to win Explorer World Championship. I think all these jumps to race other bikes can help me to be more confident. Right now, I’m on a new bike and a new team in a new environment. If I would like to just be in one big Team doing everything with the same Team and it would be super relaxing compared with my life right now – I don’t think I would keep my career moving forwards. So yeah, let’s work with what I have, jumping on the bikes, feeling good on the bikes – that’s all I wish to do – be good, be confident, and be really fast”.
Rally du Maroc October 4 – 11. Header photo: Sandra Gomez Images: Sandra and @mosloc
Words: Sharon Cox
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