Motorcycling mourns the loss of one of the best technicians and engineers of the last decades. Josep Rovira i Paxau, “Patxi”, has left us at the age of 69 after a delicate illness that he has not been able to overcome.
In 2017 Paxau decided to “hang up his boots” in his workshop and professional life, to make way for a quiet retirement enjoying his hobbies, such as cycling, aviation, and of course, trial. However, the great genius has left us before his time. Today, the world of trial mourns the loss of a key figure, without whom the evolution of trial in the thirty years could not be understood.
paxau: A LIFE LINKED TO TRIAL
Josep Rovira i Paxau (27 May 1952 – 16 October 2021) began his professional career preparing motorcycles of different brands and disciplines (including speed with Alex Crivillé, or Toni Arcarons in Motocross), winning championships with his modifications. He developed several prototypes until he was hired by Ossa to work on the development of their bikes.
After the closure of Ossa he signed for Merlin, where he coincided with Lluis Gallach, and two years later, in 1986, he signed for GASGAS and gave life to the first prototype of the brand: the GASGAS Halley 325 PXC, a motorcycle with which the brand managed to establish itself in the market.
After evolving and revolutionizing the discipline, in 1993 Jordi Tarrés won his fifth world title, his first with GASGAS. And there was Paxau.
Later, in 1997, he moved from GASGAS to Sherco, a brand in which he held a key position of technical director, being the father of all the brand’s models, including the four-stroke versions, until 2017, when he announced his retirement. In his time with Sherco, he shared a sporting stage and successes with Albert Cabestany.
From Trialworld we want to send a big hug to the whole family and remember the good times we have had the opportunity to share with him.
