Gerard Farrés

Date of birth: 3/24/1979
Place of birth: Catalunya – Spain
Resident in: Catalunya – Spain
Nationality: Spanish

Gerard mostraba buenas maneras y a los dieciséis años entró a formar parte del equipo de la Real Federación Motociclista Española (RFME), lo que de por sí le supuso una gran recompensa personal. Hasta entonces siempre había corrido por cuenta y riesgo de su padre, o lo que es lo mismo, era a su casa donde llegaban las facturas. Poder correr para un equipo como el de la Federación fue un alivio económico y un premio que le permitió competir a partir del año 97 en el Mundial Júnior de Enduro, donde llegaron triunfos como el Campeonato del Mundo sub 23 conseguido en el año 2000, o las tres medallas de oro en la categoría júnior en los Seis Días Internacionales de Enduro (ISDE) disputados en Australia en el 98, Portugal en el año 99, y España en 2000. Estos resultados le valieron además una Medalla de Oro al mérito que le otorgó la Federación Española, un reconocimiento que tiene un gran valor para él, ya que significó la confirmación de que estaba haciendo bien la que era su gran pasión.

We are used to hearing stories of riders who almost ride or drive before they walk, whether on motorbikes in karts, children who from a very early age are encouraged by their father to enter the world of petrol, engines and wheels. But there are also those who begin at a later age, and bit by bit through training but above all because of their  talent, find a niche among the best. This is the case of Gerard Farrés, a young Spaniard who at the beginning of 2007 made his debut in the Team Repsol KTM, finishing in a splendid 4th position in the Rally Tunisia.

In 2006 thanks to his quality as an enduro rider, Gerard Farrés got a chance to make his debut in the best known Cross Country Rally, the Dakar, and in spite of destroying his knee just two months after starting out he went to the race full of enthusiasm. It was his first participation and was able to finish the race, no mean feat. Moreover, he did so in 16th position, second of the rookies, a brilliant result that proved he was talented. This year he will start for the second time, and in the Repsol colours.

Farrés was born in Manresa spring 1979 and although from a small age he knew his father was a biking fanatic, it was not until he was 12 when he rode a bike for the first time. He rode around Olost de Lluçanès, a town with only 1 000 inhabitants, and Farrés began to enjoy himself on his first bike: a Montesa Cota 49cc. After a couple of years, what began as fun became an addiction, and he joined “Enduro para niños”, where he competed on a Kawasaki 80 in different races in the Catalunyan championship. It was his first contact with competition riding and his first battles with Jordi Viladoms, Xevi Pons and Jordi Duran. This was a time when he went hither and thither in a van to finish around 4th and 5th.

Gerard showed good habits and when he was 16 he joined the Real Federación Motociclista Española (RFME) team, a great personal reward. Up to then he had raced with his father and with his money, or what is the same, the bills went to his house. Being able to race with a team like the Federation`s was a financial relief and a prize that allowed him to compete after 1997 in the World Enduro Junior , winning the World Sub 23 Championship in 2000, and three gold medals in the Junior  category of the Six International Days of Enduro (ISDE) held in Australia in 1998, Portugal in 1999, and Spain in 2000. These results also gained him a gold medal for merit from the Federación Española, a recognition that is of great value to him, since it confirmed that he was doing what was his great passion very well.

However, it was not all riding as a teenager. At home a good education was very important, and he made an agreement with his mother that if he wanted to race he would have to share this passion with his studies. With this “family contract” Farrés managed to study between races, he did FP and other qualifications that he finished in 2000.

Then he joined the KTM España team and began his professional career. He raced with them until 2004, competing first on a 250cc 4 stroke, and afterwards on a 400cc, also a 4 stroke. Then he signed for Husqvarna and was proclaimed runner-up in the Spanish National Cross-Country Championship 2005, and 3rd in enduro, results that got him a three year contract with Yamaha, which included the possibility of disputing the Dakar.

This was his big chance, the dream of any rider, and he had his opportunity in the 2006 season. However, just two months before starting in Portugal he destroyed his right knee in his penultimate participation on a Husqvarna – when he was on the last part of his preparation for his debut in the Dakar he fell in a date in the Championship of Catalunya and broke the ligaments on his right knee. At that moment his particapation in the African date was in doubt but after 2 months in bed and no operation on his knee he went to Lisbon to ride in the toughest race in the world.

Few thought he would finish without any physical preparation,  a knee in bad conditions and without having done a single kilometre on his new bike as well as a lack of experience in the Dakar, the task seemed almost impossible. Even so, he reached the Pink Lake as the 2nd best rookie, even setting a good scratch result. It was a great performance and he was given the nickname “Boar of the desert”, since his power and efforts had not gone unnoticed.

During the rest of the year he was 3rd in the Spanish Championship, but in October 2006 just two months before taackling his second Dakar, Yamaha told him he could not go. It was a difficult time for him as he had to watch all his previous year`s teammates on the TV, it was a big blow. He could not see out his contract with Yamaha and so in 2007 KTM España opened their doors to him and he won the Spanish Motorally Championship.

In April 2007 Gerard Farrés took another step forwards in his career. The good results obtained in the last few years and the talent he had demonstrated on two wheels opened up the world of Cross Country Rallies to him. Working in the Team Repsol KTM he made his debut in the Rally Tunisia alongside his friend Marc Coma, and he was able to learn quickly how to read a roadbook and to navigate with the GPS. He got a hard fought 4th place and gained a lot of experience alongside the best rider in this speciality.

For the second consecutive year Farrés was close to starting his second Dakar, bvut this time he could not because the race was cancelled. His dream of riding in Africa will have to wait, meanwhile Farrés has participated in different rounds of the World Championship. In May he took part in the Rally Rally Sardinia, and in spite of making a good start he retired on the second day after an accident with another rider who had got lost and was riding in the opposite direction. He also participated in the Rally Dubai, where a fall in a zone with bad visibility also made him return home before schedule. In the Baja Aragón he demonstrated that he was one of the fastest, winning the prologue, finishing third behind Marc Coma and Cyril Despres, the first day a problem on the second stage did not allow him to finish the race either, he had won there the previous year.

A big chance has now arrived for Farrés, to show exactly how good he is because he will finally race his second Dakar, his first with the Team Repsol KTM. Gerard Farrés has also found his niche in a great team, where he has many friends; he has been good friends with Marc Coma for many years. The good atmosphere will always be there to help him with his work especially in extreme conditions. This is without a doubt his big chance; a challenge to show how he has grown and to improve as a rider, something called the Dakar 2009.