Monica Plaza (Basin, 24 years old), the youngest participant of the Dakar car, takes going to Morocco since the age of 12. His father, Manuel Plaza (59 years, Basin), 13 entries in the Paris-Dakar rally, is stuck in the Sahara desert and told war stories to his daughters, also to the small, Martha, 18 years of age. So now that father and daughter make of pilot and co-pilot in this new edition of the test to the eldest and nothing seems strange. “He always explained to us anecdotes. And we said, ‘look, here with a race car you can attack the dune as well, you can go to that speed on the tracks‘. Now I am living it in first person. The other day, in the first stage with dunes, I said: ‘Dad, I’m excited”. And to him, who listen to the story sitting next to her in the dining room itinerant of the Dakar Rally, he is full of the tear.
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Manuel, champion of Spain of Rallies in 1994 and a passionate fan of the Dakar african —has been involved in motorcycle, atv, buggie, and now car, never in South america—, has made his love for Morocco in his profession. Have a travel company, Plazaventura, that organizes trips in Morocco, Mongolia and Costa Rica. In addition, he has transmitted his devotion to the careers of their two daughters. And far from fearing to expose them in the race of rally raids more hard that there is, he accepted delighted the proposal for Monica to compete in Saudi Arabia this 2020. Now, he is already thinking of how to get to Martha in upcoming adventures. “Since my daughter was born I always was happy to be able to share with her, and then with my youngest daughter this experience,” he says. And he adds: “The next challenge that we have to get is that Martha do the Dakar with me or do truck any year”. Monica laughs. The truck supports three crew, but she did not finish viewing all clear.
While gets her chance, Martha is the more outstanding is the adventures of the Square in this Dakar. “It is of nerves all day. When we finished and I turn on the mobile phone is the first one that is already wondering how it has gone.” And require details. For example, of how they changed the alternator so many problems has given them the first week. Or how to live in the bivouac. Their budget constraints mean that, despite having been welcomed by Sodicars are the only ones on the team who sleep each night in a tent. “We came to a autocarava. But I also wanted Monica to live the Dakar as what I’ve been through. Years ago at all we were in a tent and sleeping bag. What happens is that this year is making it especially hard because it is a little cold,” explains Manuel. “You rest much less, but live also more the spirit,” adds his daughter. The worst time for Monica is when first thing in the morning tap to change clothes and pick up the shop to load everything in the truck’s computer before leaving to the special. And, at night, when it does not hot water in the showers in the community. “If it comes out cold, not I’m taking a shower”, he laughs.
a Degree in business administration, organizes events for brands of car and it makes double in film and television as a specialist. It takes five years competing in the Championship of Spain, Portugal, the Low Aragon and the Rally of Morocco. You will love the new model of roadbook that has presented the Dakar this year, do not understand mechanics, but trust in his father. “Your driving is to care for the 100% on the mechanics,” he says. And that’s competing with old tires. Which were surplus to his team-mates, already worn, that they fit into the following special. This Tuesday, they finished the stage in 25th position, and are 56th in the general. And I only remain three days, to fulfill his dream. “What remains is what we are most passionate about. We like the dunes”, smiled Monica.
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