No one will be able to deny that the history of motor sport in the Girona regions has indelible roots. In numerous disciplines the talent has been prolific and the achievements and recognition well deserved. Now, if there is one that stands out in a figure, in a trajectory, and that takes us directly to a name, this is the trial, and the culprit, the pilot Marc Colomer.
Born in Olot on August 17, 1974, Colomer particularly excelled in the trials, winning the prestigious title of World Champion in 1996, aged 22, and finishing runner-up in the 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1998 seasons. .All in all, with performance figures worthy of admiration: 18 victories and 87 podiums. However, his achievements are not limited to outdoor tracks only; Colomer also dominated the world of indoor trials with an iron fist, being World Champion in this modality from 1994 to 1996. However, as is usually the case, a good athlete is always synonymous with good opponents. Colomer’s career was not without rivals. With competitors of the height of Jordi Tarrés and Doug Lampkin, the Olotí maintained an intense rivalry. Despite this, Colomer’s determination and his unmatched skill elevated him to the pantheon of trials, making him deserving of a privileged place among the best pilots in this discipline.
In 2004, when Colomer was 30 years old, he decided to retire, to stop competing, but in no case did he distance himself from the world of trials and high competition. He remained linked to the sport he is so passionate about, especially affecting it from two sides. The first, to try to contribute his knowledge to the companies that manufacture trial motorcycles, devoting the years mostly to working for Gas Gas. In each factory there is a technical department, which is where future models are decided, which means a first phase of prototype design. Colomer, since his retirement, participated in this initial phase of devising the new models at Gas Gas but, above all, his role in the department consisted of testing them. “When there are the first prototypes, I test them on the circuit and give my opinion, so the company can make the relevant changes so that the motorcycle ends up becoming what we want to sell”, he points out.
Secondly, apart from being part of the production bike process, the Olotí pilot has also continued to stick his nose out in high competition. This time, however, from the sports director’s office. “I also prepare the competition motorbikes, the ones for the pilots. There are bikes derived from the series but which have some adjustments by the riders, and I dedicate myself to making this transfer between a production bike and the bike the rider wants. In addition, there is also team management: organizing the team to go to competitions, choosing which drivers go there and keeping track of them. All of this can be summed up in the figure of the team manager, which is present in all the motor teams that participate in the high competition”, explains Colomer.
Since his retirement, the Olotí, apart from dedicating his knowledge to Gas Gas, also spent a short period in Ossa, but ended up returning to Gas Gas, where he settled until 2019, when he packing his bags again to work for the French trial and touring bike manufacturer Electric Motion, where he currently plays a similar role. The basic difference, however, is that Electric Motion specializes in the development of electric models. The company has been noted for its focus on innovation, build quality and prototype performance. This change in the model is a fact that stimulates Colomer for the future: “It is different from what I have done so far. We are just getting started; we are not yet at the highest level of competition. Now my goal is to try to make an electric trial motorcycle able to compete, in a few years, at the highest level. I’m excited to show that an electric trials bike can be just as competitive as a petrol one. This will take some time, but the truth is that we are getting closer to it faster than we all thought”, he says.
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To all this, Colomer is aware that the professional experiences of his life after retiring as a pilot are due to the knowledge he acquired during the years of competition. He also had reference to figures that he now represents and from which he was nourished and learned. That’s why he can’t separate one stage from the other: “I’ve always thought that it’s better to be able to do what you like and what, in theory, you understand. The pilot stage helped me create this experience and now I’m satisfied with what I’m doing”, he says.
2023-11-19 08:15:14
#goal #electric #motorcycle #compete #gasoline
