Alfredo Gomez excited for next chapter with GasGas
Spanish star previews the 2022 FIM Hard Enduro world championship
April 4, 2022
Few riders lining up for this year’s FIM Hard Enduro world championship have achieved the kind of success Alfredo Gomez has. The 32-year old Spaniard has a string of prestigious wins under his belt at the Erzberg, Hixpania, Extreme XL Lagares, Last Dog Standing and Machete Hard Enduro… Just to name those. Helming his own AGR team, while returning to GasGas, the former junior Trial world champ is set for another epic season of hard enduro racing.
Victories in trial, enduro, hard enduro and super enduro underline how much of an allrounder Gomez is. While the former Husqvarna factory rider finished runner-up to Manuel Lettenbichler in the 2019 World Enduro Super Series the format didn’t exactly play to his strengths. The new reality of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, launched last year, is however exactly inside the technical Madrilenian’s wheelhouse!
We caught up with Alfredo right before the opening round of the series, taking place at Minus 400 in Israel from April 5-7. The event at the Dead Sea is bound to make things even more special because it’s also a home race for rising star Suff Sella, one of the two junior riders on Gomez’ squad.
After four years of Husqvarna we not only see you switch bikes to GasGas but you also established your own Alfredo Gomez Racing team over the winter. How did this move come about?
Alfredo Gomez: “The idea of starting my own team had been on my mind for a few years. As it turned out the timing was right this winter with factory teams reducing in size. Admittedly it’s not easy but I think we have a lack of non-factory teams in the Hard Enduro World Championship. Most efforts focus on rental bike services rather than give the complete support that a team does. That’s why I decided to start this project together with two young riders. We have Marc Fernandez and Suff Sella who will race in the Junior class. They have been training with me and living next to me and this fresh start has been very exciting! When I was coming up as a trials rider with GasGas I got picked up by a Spanish project called “School of champions” and it has meant a lot for me. I’m doing something similar with hard enduro you could say.”
No SuperEnduro for you this winter, was that because you were too busy setting up the team?
Gomez: “No, I actually had made my mind up about SuperEnduro before. Billy Bolt is at a very, very high level now and to win in SuperEnduro you always have to take quite a lot of risks. I like to challenge for a win, to fight for a podium is not that motivating to me. In 2020 I finished fourth overall but I had way too many start crashes. I’ve been doing SuperEnduro for 14 years and it was the right thing for me to stop. I did’t win the title but I was runner-up twice. As a sport I still enjoy it though. I still practice SuperEnduro because it has it’s place in hard enduro where almost every prologue is on a SuperEnduro track.”
How does it feel as a Spanish rider to return to GasGas?
Gomez: “(laughing) First of all the colours suit me because I like to dress in red! It’s fantastic to see the GasGas tradition go on like this. I started my career with GasGas and inside the KTM family I received this opportunity to be supported to return to the brand with my team. You could say it has come full circle so why not! I like a new challenge and the timing was right for me. I’m 32 now and would like to continue for another three to five seasons. To have a strong, established team by the time I quit racing would be a dream come true.”
You have the technical skills, fitness and drive to continue at a high level and be successful. Graham Jarvis won the last Erzberg Rodeo at the age of 44, is he an inspiration as far as career longevity goes?
Gomez: “I take my hat off to Graham, but I don’t want to continue to race at high level at 47 like him! But I definitely still enjoy racing. Being on a grid right before a start is one of my favourite things to do. If I’m not racing one month I miss the feeling already. I started very early in racing in trials. By now I've had a rider license for 27 years. That takes its toll. I can only imagine that the body is not the same at 40 as it is at 30, so let’s see how it goes. As long as I can win I will continue.”
Obviously you’re riding, coaching and managing in your new role. What is it like to be in that position?
Gomez: “Actually, it has been super positive so far. For training it’s been very good for me, surprisingly so I might say! With Marc and Suff we push the limit almost everyday. In the morning on the bike, in the afternoon when we go skiing, mountainbiking, swimming or whatever we do. Organizing and managing is a new thing for me but luckily I’m well supported, I have Mihai Birca helping me out on that front.”
What bike(s) will you be using this year?
Gomez: “I have an MC 450F to play around with. That’s for motocross training and my snowbike kit. The power is amazing but for the rest of the season I will go with the GasGas EC 300, which is a two stroke. I really like the characteristics of that bike. As far as the preparation of my racing bike go I can count on the Farioli team where my old mechanic Giorgio will look after my bikes. They will also help me with the transport of the bike for the European races. That’s a great relief for me and one less thing to think about. I know everyone in the team they and they know what I prefer as a rider. I’m lucky to be able to continue to work with Giorgio because we’ve already been together for six years. We don’t need to say a lot to understand each other.”
You already won a lot of big races but one “major” remains elusive. So what would you prefer to win Erzberg a third time or win Romaniacs a first time?
Gomez: “Let’s say that Romaniacs is the main goal to fill the gap on my win list! I’ve been second three times in Romania so it would be nice to get it checked off.”
Last year you had some ups and downs in the first Hard Enduro World championship and you finished sixth overall. What’s your goal for this season?
Gomez: “I know I can be on the podium in almost every race in hard enduro. Yes, I was runner-up in the WESS but there were also some cross country races where I was not so competitive. My roots are in trial so technical races, for which hard enduro is so well known, suit me best. The goal is to fight for the podium everytime and win races. Battling for the world title is of course the objective but Manni (Lettenbichler) is very strong and so is Billy Bolt. Let’s see how the season goes and let’s say that a spot on the overall podium would be a really good result for me.”
Any races that you look particularly forward to?
Gomez: “I really like Erzberg, because that’s always super special. And like I said I’ve marked out Romaniacs on my calendar. But it’s a very hard, long and tricky race. That makes it quite unpredictable.”
What do you expect from Suff Sella and Marc Fernandez in the junior class?
Gomez: “Well, they should be up there. Marc can challenge to be on the podium. In my opinion Suff will be a contender to win the first hard enduro junior world championship. He does have three years of hard enduro racing behind him. Although he Marc is also 18 he has less experience. Last year he only rode Hixpania at home and Abestone in Italy. So for sure Sella is a bit more developed than Fernandez. Still Marc had a great preparation. He rode well in the first three rounds of the Spanish Hard Enduro championship where won two rounds and finished second in the other after a tricky first lap. For sure Suff already has what it takes to be a serious challenger.”
Where do these guys need to improve to make the next step and one day compete with the best in the world at the elite level?
Gomez: “The most important aspect will be to gain experience. They’re only 18 you know! Racecraft and knowing where and when to push or to hold back is a crucial part of that learning process. Being around the podium in every race would be great. From what I have seen they should be up there if they ride at 80% We saw Suff pushing for the win in the first round. He ended up eighth. I explained him that he would make the podium if he rode around 85%. The next rounds he was on the podium and won heat races. That’s a good way for him to learn that you don’t need to push 100% to come out on top. I would say that keeping yourself and your bike in one piece is in the end the most important thing in hard enduro.”
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2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship
Round 1: Minus 400 – Israel, April 5/6/7
Round 2: Xross – Serbia, May 18/19/20/21
Round 3: Red Bull Erzbergrodeo – Austria, June 16/17/18/19
Round 4: Red Bull Abestone – Italy, July 9/10
Round 5: Red Bull Romaniacs – Romania, July 26/27/28/29/30
Round 6: Red Bull TKO – USA, August 13/14
Round 7: Red Bull Outliers – Canada, August 27/28
Round 8: Hixpania Hard Enduro – Spain, October 7/8/9
PROFILE ALFREDO GOMEZ
Team: AGR GasGas
Country: Spain
Hometown: Madrid
Date of birth: 06/08/1989
Length, weight: 183 cm, 77 kg
Bike: GasGas EC 300
IG: @alfredogomez89 @agracingteam89
FB: Alfredo Gomez 89
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2022 (GasGas): Winner Inner City Enduro Port Elizabeth, 2nd Alestrèm
2021 (Husqvarna): 6th overall Hard Enduro world championship, winner Hixpania, winner Wild Woods Xtreme
2020 (Husqvarna): 4th SuperEnduro World Championship, 3rd Romaniacs, winner Wild Woods Xtreme
2019 (Husqvarna): 2nd overall WESS, winner Ukupacha Xtreme, winner Last Dog Standing, 2nd Hixpania, 2nd Romaniacs, 2nd GetzenRodeo, 4th Erzberg Rodeo, 5th SuperEnduro World Championship
2018 (Husqvarna): 11th overall WESS, 2nd GetzenRodeo, 3rd Hixpania, 3rd Bassella Race 1, 5th Romaniacs, 7th overall SuperEnduro World Championship
2017 (KTM): Winner Erzberg Rodeo, winner Machete Hard Enduro, Winner Red Bull Minas, 2nd SuperEnduro World Championship, winner Spanish SuperEnduro GP
2016 (KTM): Winner Extreme XL Lagares, winner Hixpania, winner Machete Hard Enduro, winner The Wall Xtreme, winner Red Bull Minas, 2nd Romaniacs, 2nd GetzenRodeo, 2nd Roof of Africa, 2nd The Tough One, 3rd Erzberg Rodeo, 5th SuperEnduro World Championship
2015 (Husqvarna): Winner Erzberg Rodeo, winner Hixpania, winner Red Bull Minas, winner Extreme XL Lagares, 3rd Romaniacs, 3rd The Tough One, 5th SuperEnduro World Championship
2014 (Husqvarna): Winner Extreme XL Lagares, Bronze Endurocross X-Games, 3rd The Tough One, 4th Erzberg Rodeo, 4th SuperEnduro World Championship
2013 (Husaberg): Silver Endurocross X-Games, winner Ukupacha Xtreme, 2nd Romaniacs, 2nd Extreme XL Lagares, 4th Hell’s Gate, 4th SuperEnduro World Championship
2012 (Husaberg): 2nd Extreme XL Lagares, 7th SuperEnduro World Championship, Spanish Enduro Junior open champion
2011 (Montesa/Husaberg): 4th SuperEnduro World Championship, Junior trials world champion
2010 (Montesa/Husaberg): 14th SuperEnduro World Championship, 2nd Junior trials world championship
2009 (Montesa): 2nd Junior trials world championship
2008 (Montesa): 3rd Junior trials world championship
2007 (GasGas): Youth Trial world champ
2006 (GasGas): 4th Youth Trial world champ