Chilean rider Ruy Barbosa is gearing up for his debut in the 2026 Dakar Rally in the motorcycle category, joining Ignacio Cornejo and Tomás de Gavardo. The event kicks off on Saturday, January 3, in Saudi Arabia, with Barbosa sharing his excitement over realizing a long-held dream after a year of rigorous preparation.
The Chilean contingent at the 2026 Dakar Rally will feature three riders in the motorcycle category: the experienced Ignacio Cornejo and Tomás de Gavardo, plus debutant Ruy Barbosa. The event, known as the world's toughest race, begins on Saturday, January 3, in Saudi Arabia.
The 27-year-old Barbosa arrived at the competition site brimming with excitement. "First day, we just arrived and happy. It's a dream come true... I dreamed about this for a long time and now we're here, after a lot of work," the rider told La Tercera. Though he couldn't use his usual enduro number 14, he was pleased with 41, its inverse. "I'm anxious for this to start and there are so many people and lots of friends," he added.
The Chilean will race on a Honda CRF-450 as part of the HT Rally Raid team. His preparation involved intensive training in northern Chile and competing in three rounds of the 2025 World Rally Championship in the Rally2 category, where he achieved strong results. He is no novice on bikes: he was world champion in 2018 and has shone in international events.
He decided to transition to cross-country rallying after weighing the economic and sporting risks. He devised a 365-day plan to secure funding, train in navigation, and adapt to rally demands. "It's been a super tough path. It was 365 days, that's what the project was initially called. I started this last year, in December. Now we're just hours away from the Dakar. I'm super happy with how things have improved. I'm psychologically and physically prepared. We have the best bike, so we're going to give it everything," he revealed.
"Since I was a kid, I dreamed of saying in a press conference that I was going to race the Dakar. I always postponed it because of the risk and economic impact. This year was extremely difficult, but with brand support, I made it happen," Barbosa concluded, as he prepares to test his bike before the start.
