Baja Aragón 2017
The mystery of Dakar desert and Baja California left their mark within the sports men and adventurers who were willing to fulfil their spare time with challenging experiences. At the beginning of the eighties, when the mythic Paris-Dakar was already consolidated as one of the most important raids events, a French-Spanish group lead by François Vincent and Carlos Gracia, who was at that moment president of the Aragonesa – Riojana Automobile Federation, decided to import the idea of these two events to Spain. Searching for the best possible route, they found in Aragon a beautiful semi-deserted area called Monegros, an unique place to enjoy, surrounded by amazing landscapes, which offered an ideal framework for the competition and with a perfect terrain for a 1.000 km non stop race. This was the beginning for BAJA SPAIN. At first it was called Montesblancos as the starting point was just besides the Montesblancos Casino. The big difficulties of the event, as the high temperatures and the dense dust, have been since the very first moment the most remarkable characteristics of a competition which has become a “classic” within the World Cup as well as one of the most appreciated in the International Calendar.
After the first three editions, new solicitors took charge of the organization, among them the current managing company Pro-Motor which now, years later, is once again involved with the race. Back on that time, the rules gained importance, this fitting with the International Regulations. Its compromise lasted for years, and after the cancellation of the event in 1992, due to the coincidence with the Olympic Games in Barcelona, it turned to be organized by theSpanish Federation. Such a charismatic race as BAJA could not disappear, and not only because of its crucial importance within the motor sports competition, but also for being an unique way of promoting Spain and Aragon thorough Europe.
In 1993 the Spanish Federation had to face the challenge of organizing an event which would be a vital round for the brand new World Cup. From that moment onwards, the presence of official teams such as Citroën, Mitsubishi, among others, would be usual. In the winner list of the competition we find world class drivers who have provided the BAJA ESPAÑA ARAGÓNwith enormous prestigious: Ari Vatanen, Pierre Lartigue, Jacky Icks, Timo Salonen, Jean Louis Schlesser… and more contemporaneous Nani Roma, Nasser Al Attiyah or Stéphane Peterhansel in cars; or riders such as Bacou, Arcarons, Mas, Gallardo, Steuri, Roma, Esteve, Coma, among others, in bikes.
Year 1999 set an historic precedent: for the first time, a Spanish driver, Jose Manuel Serviá, clinched victory in cars with other two country men, Miguel Prieto and Manuel Plaza, completing the final podium.
In the car’s list of winners, Jean Louis Schlesser is the most successful driver, with four victories to his tenure, while Nani Roma owns the general record of triumphs (6), both in bikes and cars. Regarding the manufacturers, Mitsubishi stands in the first position, with seven victories. Within the motorbikes, Isidre Esteve is the man who has accumulated more wins to his tally, five in total, all of them with KTM, the last one in 2006. The Austrian manufacturer has accumulated 19 triumphs in the BAJA so far, and they hadn´t meet defeat until Marc Guasch´s Yamaha took it from them in 2010´s edition.
In 2005, the competition entered a new phase with the arrival to the organization committee of the marketing company OCTAGON ESEDOS and RACE – Real Automóvil Club de España –, which would be in charge of the sports area, besides the support of Pro Motor – in charge of the route design-. Octagon, as an organizer for BAJA ESPAÑA, has the commitment of improving the level of former editions, with a special interest in including the participation of top class personalities together with the best riders and drivers in the event. Also willing to enhance the media coverage of the race, and with the inclusion of the trucks as a novelty – Francesc Selga and Jordi Torra (Iveco) – were the first winners with this big wheeled bulks. And all with the unconditional support from the regional Aragon government and the city council of Zaragoza, and the councils of the three Aragon provinces, Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza.
Combining the dust, the heat, and the rocky and stony clay, this terrain brings out the best of man and machine in an impressive test of skill under the tricky conditions of a fierce environment, and it celebrated in 2008 its 25th anniversary. This 2016 will be its XXXIII, and it will be counting again for the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies, as well as for the Baja FIM World Cup.
Location Information
Palacio De Exposiciones Y Congresos De Teruel, Caudé, España - View in Google Maps
Records
| Winner 2017 | Joan Barreda |
| Winner 2016 | Joan Barreda |
| Winner 2015 | Gerard Farrés |
| Winner 2014 | Gerard Farrés |
| Winner 2013 | Joan Barreda |
| Winner 2012 | Joan Barreda |
Monster Energy Honda Team rider Joan Barreda has secured his fourth victory in the Baja Aragon 2017 with team-mate Michael Metge making it onto the podium, repeating third place. The Baja Aragon 2017 concluded today in Teruel with the victory of Joan Barreda and a podium place for Michael Metge.… read more.
Joan Barreda and Michael Metge wrapped up a great all-round Monster Energy Honda Team effort on day two of the 2017 Baja Aragón, dominating both special stages of the competition. In the first of the two specials, Barreda rocketed through the 133.78 km course, opening the track before posting the… read more.
Monster Energy Honda Team got the 2017 Baja Aragón off to a flying start with Joan Barreda romping home in first place and team-mate Michael Metge, third in the curtain-raising event. Joan Barreda – his Honda CRF450 emblazoned with the number one – scorched his way through the short nine-kilometre… read more.
The Baja Aragón – one of Europe’s legendary offroad races – kicks off this week with the Monster Energy Honda Team poised to enter the fray. Incumbent champion Joan Barreda lines up alongside French team-mate Michael Metge, third in last year’s edition. Monster Energy Honda Team return once again to… read more.
Joan Barreda has taken top honours in the Baja Aragón 2016. The Spaniard from Team HRC ruled the roost from start to finish throughout the entire rally. This is his third overall triumph in the event. Teammate Michael Metge, from France, likewise rode a storming final race to land a… read more.
Joan Barreda made short work of two complicated stages against the clock and opens up a considerable advantage over the rest of the field with one day to run. Michael Metge moves up a position in the overall standings after posting second fastest time in the second special. Two timed… read more.
Team HRC’s Spanish rider Joan Barreda proved to be the quickest today in the Super Special as the Baja Aragón got underway on the outskirts of Teruel. The rider, aboard the Honda CRF450 E, threw down the gauntlet in the short nine-kilometre special with a two-and-a-half second margin over the… read more.
There will be no rest for Team HRC this summer. The rally team will be in action from Friday at the renowned Baja Aragon, a legendary event in the off road motorcycle discipline, in Spain. This event is the second round in which points count towards the FIM Bajas World… read more.
