Rally driver Olivas explains Valencia CF Dakar podium tribute

Dakar Rally finisher Pablo Olivas attracted attention this past weekend for his special dedication to Valencia CF, wwearing the club’s Centenary shirt on the podium at the prestigious motorsport event.

The diehard Valencianista checked in with VCF Media on Tuesday to talk about his connection to the club, and what inspired his unique way of celebrating.

“I was packing my suitcase with all of my competition kit, and suddenly I saw the Valencia CF shirt in my wardrobe. I thought ‘You know what? I'm going to take it with me, in case we reach the end of the race and I can wear it on the podium,’” he said via video call.

“I had the shirt with me during the entirety of Stage 12, stored in my car.”

Olivas’ connection with the club is something that has been in place since his childhood. He explained that “It’s family tradition. My father took me to Mestalla when I was six years old, and I was a big fan from then on. When I got my driver’s licence I went to the 1999 Copa del Rey final, and I was at the Champions League finals in Paris and Milan.”

Asked which of the current squad he would take with him as a navigator, Olivas said “I’d go to the Dakar with a fighter, such as one of the captains: Gayà or Soler.”

José Luis Gayà himself called into the show with a message for Olivas.

“It's an enormous honour for me, and for everybody, to see you compete in the Dakar and get onto the podium. Seeing you on it with the Valencia CF shirt is something that makes us all very proud. It's great to see it at such an important event.”

Olivas says that he draws inspiration from the club, with the idea that “The spirit of sacrifice, fight and hard work is the everyday philosophy of Valencia CF.”