Join us Laia Sanz
2004 - 2011
Laia Sanz
Queen of Trial
The driver from Corbera de Llobregat has won numerous titles since beginning her journey on two wheels.
Laia has opened the door for a new generation of women that compete at the highest levels in the racing world. In 2004, she joined the Repsol Team and continued moving up in the ranks of the elite.
Her successes won her the Spanish Grand Cross of the Order of Merit in Sports in 2004. She was named Best Spanish Athlete in 2006 and FIM’s Woman of the Year in 2011 and 2012, among other awards.
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13 World Titles
in the Women’s Trial, 7 with Repsol
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+ 6 Dakar rallies
first victory with Repsol
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+ 10 European Championships
in the Women’s Trial, 8 with Repsol
Her mantra
Whoever has the will, has the strength
Laia Sanz
A trailblazing athlete
Now when I see a race where a lot of girls are participating, I think that, in some way, I helped open the minds of many of their parents
Laia Sanz
Her motivation
People ask me if I get tired of winning, but for me it is a challenge to keep achieving victories. I also stay motivated because the competition has been changing throughout these years and new generations come in that want to do well
Laia Sanz 2011
A life on two wheels
Laia’s story is much more than a story of overcoming the odds. When she was only two years old, she was already riding a bicycle and her father rode her around in his motorcycle. When she was four, her brother lent her his motorcycle, a Montesta Cota 25, and she became obsessed with the world of motorcycles.
It was then that she decided to put all her energy into a sport that was almost completely dominated by men. She debuted at seven years old, making her way in male competitions with boys older than her. At that time, she never felt any different from her peers, although on more than one occasion she heard one of the parents say “Don’t let Laia beat you!” behind their backs.
In 1997, at 11 years old, she had her first victory, and in 2000, her first national trial championship. This was the start of a time full of successes, and by 2004, she came to the Repsol Montesa team and was on the team at the same time as her idol Dougie Lampkin. Laia stayed with Repsol until 2011 when she participated for the first time in the Dakar Rally, winning in the women’s motorcycle category and also renewing her world and European trial titles.
Currently she continues competing in the Dakar races with the little medal of Saint Anthony that her grandmother gave her when she almost died from getting run over when she was little. Her 13 world women’s trial titles, 10 European women’s trial titles, 5 world women's enduro titles, and more than 15 awards have gained her the respect of legendary drivers in her category such as Toni Bou (whom she beat in her first races in Catalonia), and have given her recognition as the Queen of the Trial.
Female Trial Championship in 2005
Winner of the 2008 Women’s Trial
Dakar 2011
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Marc Márquez