Miquel Gelabert has announced his imminent retirement as a professional trial rider. In a letter published by himself, he explains the reasons that have led him to make this decision, driven by an illness and the fact that he has not found a sporting structure with which to face 2023 with guarantees of maintaining his level of aspirations.
Miquel Gelabert had his best season in 2021 with GASGAS, achieving fifth overall position and being seventh this last 2022 season. He has two podiums in the top category, one with GASGAS and the other with SHERCO.
Miquel Gelabert has been an official GASGAS, VERTIGO and SHERCO rider.
His loss on the TrialGP grid shows the crisis that the top trial competition is going through, with few riders able to stay in the elite with good economic conditions and means, occupying a maximum category that barely exceeds ten participants.
It’s probably not a final goodbye, but Gelabert’s situation is a clear reflection that good results don’t guarantee a place in a factory team, although it’s obviously an important point.
Miquel Gelabert’s bike will be ridden in 2023 by Jaime Busto, GASGAS’ big bet to try to fight for the world title.
Official statement from Miquel Gelabert:
Good evening everyone, today I want to inform you that I have made a very important decision for my life and my future, if not the most. I have decided to retire from the world of trial, which has been my passion, my sport, and above all, a lifestyle, both for me and for my family, who have supported me throughout all these years, to the extent that I have left them. Taking advantage of this mention, I would like to say that I will be eternally grateful for all the effort, hours, sacrifices and esteem that my family has dedicated to making my dream of being a professional pilot come true.
I would also like to thank trial for all the moments it has given me, the people I have met and been able to deal with, and the life lessons that any sport in the elite can teach you.
Throughout these years many people have passed through my life, to whom I would like to thank enormously for their help and advice to make me a better pilot, and a better person.
These are: / Ciriac Grados/ Josep Banyeres/ Albert Soler/ Jorge Prat/ Luciano Bonaria/ Sherco Spain(Arnau Vilardell, David Sarrias)/ Colomer Family/ Teissier Family/ Josep Paxau/ Lluis Gallach/ James Gonzalez/ Valerio Pastorino/ Umberto/ Corna Family/ Cesar Cañas/ Pim Terricabras/ Vertigo Motors(Manel, Siscu, Llelle)/ Claudi Obradò/ David Poveda/ Josep Alonso/ Miki Arpa/ Fabian Simmer/ Edu Carmona/ Quim Barbena/ My backpackers (Pep Campàs, Adri del Olmo, Ramonet, Eloi Capallera, Joan Rovira)/ Jordi Mera/ Marc Robert/ Bonaparte Family/ Marc Safont/ Ivan Sanchez (Piscines Sant Feliu) / Motoclub Cambrils/ Gilbernet Family/ Hippel Racing/ Tato Prat/ Michel Kaufman/ Cesar Carmona/ Jordi Compta.
Finally, but most importantly, I would like to open up to all of you and explain why I am retiring. For many people it will be very difficult to understand and crazy, that, with the level, technical capabilities, and possibilities of being one of the best trial riders in the world in the coming years I retire, although there will also be people who will be happy.
For a year I have been in treatment with a team of professionals, and at the same time super humans, called CRAVING, where they treat mental disorders. They are helping me to get my life back on track and to bring back the person who was increasingly hiding behind a character which I had created because I was not able to manage many pressure situations from the world of the elite, the fact that I never showed myself weak, unable to manage any emotion and the fear of thinking “What will they think of me?” Because of this character, which I am solely responsible for having created, I have made many mistakes inside and outside the world of trial, and consequently, I was soiling my image inside and outside of it.
Everything changed on 7-11-2021, just after the indoor in Andorra, when a group of people to whom I will be eternally grateful for what they did for me, because they could have sunk my sports career, but above all my life, preferred to show up at my parents’ house and exposed the situation to give me the opportunity to change, since they knew he was sick.
After receiving this news, my parents, far from being away from me, decided to try to help me and looked for a specialized center for my problem. From there I started my treatment 4 days a week, when I was diagnosed with a mental illness, which, and thanks to those people, we were able to detect in time and get to work to treat and solve it.
It has been a very hard and sacrificial year, combining my therapies with my training, but it has been very worthwhile to see all the progress and to have been able to get where I am now, aware that there is still work to be done.
It’s very hard, but that’s the way it is, I recognize that the current situation is due to my past mistakes and I’m paying for them, and that if no factory wants me it’s not because of my technical capabilities or possibilities of being among the best in the world, but because of my image.
However, I am not proud, but I am grateful for everything that has happened to me because it has made me return to being the person I was, even better, and I will continue working until I am 100% recovered.
Greetings, thank you to the people who are still by my side after all and, THANK YOU TRIAL!!
