2024-01-18 18:44:26
Fran Gómez Pallas, originally from Carballo (Galicia) and born in Venezuela, had decided to participate in the Dakar this year, marking his eighth foray into the competition after having seen the finish line in four of his previous seven participations in the motorcycle category. After an absence in the last four editions, the 53-year-old rider faced the most demanding challenge in the world of motorcycle rallying. with a perspective focused on the future and sustainability.
On this occasion, Gómez Pallas was part of the Mission 1,000 category, designed to evaluate new carbon neutral technologies. Opting for a completely electric artisanal motorcycle, his goal was to complete the 1,000 kilometers of this category, aspiring to compete in future editions of the Dakar with this prototype on the same route as the other motorcycles.
In addition to his passion for motorcycles, Gómez Pallas – who works in the construction and sale of modular cabins – has participated in various sports disciplines, such as motocross, dirt track, mountain biking, the Galician jet ski championship for four years, and He has been a parachutist. His participation in the Dakar reflects its commitment to technological innovation and its concern for the environmentseeking to contribute to the well-being of the planet with a futuristic vision in the middle of the desert.
Unfortunately, the adventure of this Venezuelan living in Spain has ended sooner than expected; Fran Gómez suffered a spectacular fall during the penultimate stage of this Dakar, an unusual incident in which his electric motorcycle – which weighs about 50 kilos more than a gasoline rally motorcycle due to its 90 kilo battery pack – It broke in half when the 53-year-old driver was traveling at high speed.
Unfortunately, the BAT Power Racing created by Fran Gómez himself has not been able to withstand the harshness of this Dakar 2024, and finally the chassis ended up breaking when there was only one day left to see the finish line in Yanbu after having climbed to sixth position in the Mission 1000 categorycurrently led by the Spanish team KH7 Ecovergy Team with a truck that runs on hydrogen and diesel.
“We ran out of a motorcycle just 12 kilometers from the finish line, a picture is worth 1000 words”the 53-year-old pilot lamented on his social networks. “I had caught the drivers in front, they were the ones who helped me later and I am very, very grateful to them. Tomorrow was just a walk to the podium, I only have a crack in a rib, the rest is finethe biggest pain is not being able to do those last 45 kilometers tomorrow to finish the project“.
“Thank you to all of you who pushed from your homes, you don’t know how much it hurts not to be able to finish,” wrote Gómez, who has so far managed to finish the Dakar four times, in the motorcycle category. “On the one hand we are satisfied, we have won several stages the first week, and we were the first to debut P1 in this new 100% electric category in the Dakar. We only have to learn from the mistakes of a very young project, and together we have put two factories on the ropes. We have a lot of data to improve after this Dakar. And of course, to all the sponsors who have made it possible to be here.”
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You can see the moment of his accident captured by the organization’s helicopter below:
. @dakar. Terrible accident of Fran Gómez Pallas. His motorcycle broke in two and he was then assisted by a colleague. Another example of the Dakar spirit. Video: Dakar Press. pic.twitter.com/kpRojezr9Y
— Dario Coronel (@dcoronel) January 18, 2024
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