Marco Fernández races the world's hardest enduros on a shoestring budget, a borrowed van, and stubbornness. We sat down with the Spaniard after his second consecutive Romaniacs top-15.
I don't have a factory mechanic. I have a Haynes manual and a phone full of friends.
Top 15 at Romaniacs costs less than you think. The entry fee is the easy part — the hard part is showing up fit.
Q. How did a privateer end up in the Romaniacs top 15 twice?
A. By not thinking about it as 'privateer vs factory'. The bike is the same metal. The difference is how prepared you let yourself be. I save on the things that don't matter at race pace and spend everything on suspension, tyres and my own fitness.
Q. What's the privateer's biggest hidden cost?
A. Travel. Getting the bike to Romania and back costs more than the entry. I share a van with two other riders. We sleep in it. It's not glamorous but it's how you do a season.
Q. How do you train without a coach?
A. I ride with people faster than me and copy what works. I film my lines. I do two gym sessions a week — mostly legs and grip. And I ride my trials bike in winter. Trials fixes everything.
Q. Best advice for someone who wants to race Romaniacs?
A. Enter the Bronze or Iron class first. Gold is another sport. And ride your own race — every minute you spend looking at the rider ahead is a minute you're not looking at the trail.