After a disappointing and short debut in the Dakar on the back of an Aprilia in 2011, Joan Barreda made a name in the raid harder in the world competing with the support of Speedbrain on a Husqvarna. A mount for something more discreet that put more value on their results. In 2012 recorded his first stage victory and finished eleventh overall. A year later he scored to win 4 stages and finished seventeenth in the standings. Not needed any more. Honda is set in the citys and in may 2013, Joan Barreda booked for the Team HRC.
The ingredients were unbeatable. Honda returned to the Dakar with a machinery oiled and with the hunger to repeat the triumphs of yesteryear -won five titles between 1981 and 1989-. Joan Barreda landed in a factory team, with the possibility of hundreds of kilometres of test. The Honda CRF450 Rally was a winning bike and although the front was the KTM, the japanese firm had faith in the project. The confidence of the parties will not quickly crystallize and Joan Barreda won 5 stages in the Dakar 2014. The Spanish fought for the title until the penultimate stage, where he suffered a fall.
The 2014 Dakar was the first edition that came to Bolivia and Uyuni was the end of the seventh stage of the test. Joan Barreda won the particular, without guessing the bitter future that he had reserved Bolivia and the Salar de Uyuni. In 2015 and after suffering a hard fall, the salt of this natural area is introduced in the mechanics of his Honda CRF450 Rally. Had to be towed by teammate Jeremias Israel, losing three hours -four-and-a-half after the subsequent penalty – and saying goodbye to any of the fight for the Dakar. Finally finished this edition, the seventeenth, with three stage victories.
And again in 2016, the end has been the same. The Dakar in this
occasion not crossed the Salar of Uyuni, but bordered. Without
however, Joan Barreda has given him the same thing. At km 203 of the
special a problem of the engine has squandered any option fight
for its longed first Dakar. On this occasion it has been Paolo Ceci the that
has towed Barreda (as you can see in the main image)
during 300 kilometers. The balance, 4 hours and 58 minutes lost. The story has repeated, the curse of
Uyuni has become to appear.
special Mention deserves the Team HRC
in this aspect. Since the Honda landed in the Dakar in 2013, the
misfortunes have been travel companions. In addition to problems
experienced by Joan Barreda, riders of the likes of Helder Rodrigues, Johnny
Campbell, Sam Sunderland and Javier Pizzolito have gone through the training
without getting the long-awaited triumph of a jet wing golden. The last
hope to break the streak of KTM and give the win to Honda in 2016 passes by Paulo Gonçalves. Of time is the leader of the race, but you have to
Price, Walkner and Svitko coming on the heels of.
–