Paulo Gonçalves : "It's a victory for me to be here at the start"

January 5 ^th 2019 - 16:56

A crash in the final leg of the Portuguese championship just a month ago left Paulo Gonçalves greviously injured, but he bounced back in time to start his eleventh Dakar. Just a few weeks shy of his 40th birthday, the Honda rider is determined to hold his own even if he has to grit his teeth.

"I had a crash four weeks ago. I had a fracture in my spleen, so I needed surgery. I was not sure I would recover in time to be here, but finally I recovered really well. Yesterday, I rode the motorbike for a checkdown. I feel well, no pain. Now, I know I'm not as strong as before, but I will try to start the race carefully, try to see what I can do day by day. It's a victory for me to be here at the start."