The career of one of Portugal’s most prestigious riders comes to an end. Joaquim Rodrigues announced his retirement from competitive motorcycling this Saturday, about two months after the Dakar 2024.
Over 35 years, he competed in the biggest events not only in off-road racing but also in motocross and supercross – he even participated in the Motocross World Championship and the AMA Supercross in the United States of America. In a later phase, he dedicated himself to off-road racing and competed in seven editions of the Dakar. He won a stage in 2022, with his best final result being 17th place in 2019.
The death of his brother-in-law Paulo Gonçalves during the Dakar 2020 was a turning point. ‘Everything changed’, admitted Rodrigues on social media, adding: ‘I know I’ve never felt like the same rider again. Not out of fear or concern about accidents, but such an immense loss leads us to put everything else into perspective and see life differently’.
However, the rider from Barelos continued to train and compete for another four years. Now, the decision to end his career has come: ‘Recently, I watched the Abu Dhabi race from the sidelines, and for the first time in my career, I felt good being there. […]. I felt like I was in the right place. […]. I spoke openly with the team, who understood and accepted my desire to leave competition’, he explained.
Representing Hero MotoSports, Rodrigues also wrote: ‘I felt it was time to leave, and I should do it in the same honest way I’ve always managed my career. It wasn’t right to be there deceiving Hero, the sponsors, those who have always supported me, by being physically present when my mind was telling me it was time to stop. So I decided to leave on my own terms. That’s why I made the decision not to return to professional competition. I hope everyone understands my decision. We all must know when to stop and respect those who wish to stop. A pause that is not a goodbye’.
As for the immediate future, the Portuguese received an invitation from Hero MotoSports to remain connected to the structure.