Former Chelsea and Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas is set to achieve a life-long dream and contest the famous Dakar Rally.
The Portuguese, whose uncle Pedro entered the event in 1982 when it was held in Africa rather than South America, will drive a modified Toyota Hilux with compatriot Ruben Faria when the race starts on Sunday (NZT).
Faria finished runner-up in the motorcycle category in 2013.
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The Dakar Rally is known for its demanding – and deadly – conditions.
The official Dakar website reported Villas-Boas had originally considered entering the 40th edition of the Dakar on a motorbike to celebrate turning 40 but was “brought to his senses”.
“I spoke with my friend Alex Doringer, the manager of the KTM team, who told me that I would still need a full year’s preparation to get there and that it was better to consider doing it with a car,” he said.
The race starts in the Peruvian capital Lima and ends in Cordoba, Argentina, on January 20 after passing through Bolivia. It has been switched to South America from its traditional route through north Africa because of security concerns.
Villas-Boas has quit his latest football job at Chinese side Shanghai SIPG to get behind the wheel and denies he’s having a mid-life crisis.
“No, never. This is passion. Motor racing is in my blood and has been my passion since I was a little boy,” he told The Times.
“To compete in the Dakar Rally is a lifetime ambition for me and is something I know I have to do.”
“You know it can happen but you just accept it and move on. Enzo Ferrari once said you sacrifice everything without hesitation to satisfy this mania.”
Villas-Boas rented an altitude tent to help his preparations as the rally reaches 4000m above sea level. He also got his football assistants to provide a personalised fitness programme for the demands of this race that will see him behind the wheel for 12 hours a day for a fortnight.
“They have given me a postural and power programme to prepare for long hours in the car with back and neck muscle strengthening, but I have no idea how my body will react,” he says.
Villas-Boas said his aim is to simply finish the gruelling race.
He has suggested when he has rested from this ordeal, he would like to return to Europe’s football scene.
Source :Stuff.co.nz
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