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His new adventure riding for Ducati - no longer Gresini, but the official Lenovo team - got off to a great start, with two pole positions and four victories between the Sprint Race and the GP. But Marc Marquez still hasn't forgotten the dark moments following his injury in Jerez 2020, when his blazing career suddenly experienced a setback that seemed destined to last.
But what gave him courage, and convinced him to not throw in the towel during those very delicate stages of both his professional and life journey, was another athlete who, like him, had faced pain in the past, but found a way to get back into the game, and did so successfully.
This rider from Cervera himself revealed this during an interview for the Laureus Awards, the prestigious event that honors athletes from all sports, scheduled for April 21st in Madrid.
Nominated for "Comeback of the Year," the rider from Spain spoke about how he found the strength to fight back by watching a tennis match in 2022. "There have been so many glorious comebacks in my sport, but my real inspiration was Rafael Nadal," he said. "I remember exactly the day he was playing the Australian Open and won after so many injuries. I was at home, on the couch, with my arm in a cast, and I told myself that I too would make it. On many days, and in many moments, he inspired me."
And indeed, the 32-year-old rider was able to follow his idol's example. After he courageously left Honda at the end of 2023 - following a partnership that began a decade earlier, to get on a Desmosedici of a private team - he didn't immediately return to the top spot. But, after succeeding at Aragon last year, he's again he favorite for the World Championship.
