Been there, done it, got the t-shirt! It is a well-used saying within motorsports, but as with many competing in the 2022 FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy (EVT), when applied to Spaniard Alvaro Sarabia it is an adage that fits like a glove.
“I race my SWM for the nostalgia. I was an official rider for the brand back in the day, for SWM during the 1980s. The bike I race is a SWM 125 from 1981, similar to the one I had, and I continue racing it nowadays. I got this bike back through a friend that is also a vintage bike enthusiast, he has a lot of old SWM bikes, some factory spec like this one, and I was lucky. I was able to buy it from him.
“With these types of races, it’s a mix of meeting old friends, enjoying riding our bikes and having fun. Normally, these races are relaxed, here the FIM is pushing a bit with the track, and together with the organisers they always take into account the age of the bikes and the riders. The main goal is to get together, meet with friends and enjoy a weekend like we used to do.
“We are twenty-nine Spanish riders here and mainly everyone is from our national vintage championship. We really like this race because it brings back all the racing memories. We´re a big group from Spain and most of us used to race each other when we were younger. So, after some years of not being in contact with each other, our passion has brought us together again.
“Mostly every rider in the paddock is a bit old, we were all riders in the past and we just like to come here because we love the sport. It brings back the memories from the good old days. We see the same faces every year, more or less, and I’ll say that we’re the big family of vintage enduro.
“In Spain we’re trying to lift the numbers for vintage enduro. Myself, I am the delegate of the Spanish Motorcycling Federation for Todo Terreno Clásico, the name we use in Spain for vintage enduro. We are trying to make it more popular. Vintage Trial has been popular in our country for many years and now we’re just trying to do the same with enduro. We have been doing a national vintage championship for five years now and it’s growing. Most of the Spanish riders here are from our national vintage championship.”
2022 FIM Enduro Vintage trophy schedule
01/10 (Saturday): 2 laps with 70 km (3 special test/lap)
02/10 (Sunday): Final MX and Prize Giving Ceremony
For more event information and live results stay tuned to https://motorsportsantoandre.pt/ as well as to the event’s official Instagram account @fim_enduro_vintage for daily event story content.
FIM Communications