A taste for exertion

Dakar 2018 | Stage 2 | Pisco > Pisco
January 7 th 2018 - 02:08 [GMT -5]

rojo
/

Juan Agustín Rojo is one of the 28 bikers competing in the Original category, where assistance crews are not allowed. The opening stage went without a hitch… but he hopes to be knackered by the time he gets to Córdoba!

Mechanics is the passion of his life. He can think of no better way to spend his time than taking bikes apart and putting them back together. Juan Agustín Rojo is the perfect match for the Original category, which leaves competitors without assistance and requires them to personally repair and maintain their machines after every stage. The Argentinian rider, who was the youngest competitor of the 2016 edition, is aware of the daunting task ahead of him after he had to withdraw eight stages into his first attempt, but this motivates him more than it scares him: "Going to bed late after some work, rising early while my body is still aching —that's what I love about the Dakar. It's brutal, but I want to push my physical and mental limits to make it to the finish." He finished 72nd in the fast opening stage. Although his bike made it to Lima without any problems, the young man still needs to work on it for a couple of hours before even thinking of resting: "I conduct a general inspection of the bike, top up with water and oil and make sure no parts are moving around. So far, so good."

Follow us

Get exclusive information