Former Moto2 rider Pons walks barefoot from Spain to Pakistan

Ex-Moto2 rider Axel Pons has radically altered his life after retiring from bike racing, having walked barefoot from Spain to Pakistan on his technique to India.

The Spaniard, who raced within the intermediate class between 2009-17 with restricted success, returned to the limelight when a video of him surfaced on the web and have become viral, attracting a whole lot of thousand views.

Within the clip, Pons revealed that he had began his journey in 2023 and meant to journey so far as India, and was ready to obtain the mandatory visa approvals to cross the border.

In an unique interview, two-time 250cc champion Sito Pons detailed the life-changing journey his 33-year-old son has taken.

“What Axel is doing, I feel it is one thing extraordinary and extremely courageous and brave,” he mentioned. “In March it can have been two years since he left Barcelona, all the time strolling.

“He started to clarify to us that he wanted to stroll, see the world, perceive the philosophy of life, of religions and he started his journey.

“Day by day he will get up at 5 within the morning, does meditation and yoga, and begins strolling. You want numerous self-discipline, plus he would not go to lodges and solely travels with a backpack, with the naked minimal.”

Sito defined that his son began the journey alone, however a number of folks joined him alongside the best way. In southern Turkey he met a pair who had been touring the ‘Lycian Manner’, a route of about 400km within the Tekke Peninsula.

“His thought has all the time been to achieve India on foot,” Sito defined. “The issue is that the border between Pakistan and India is closed.

“He then determined to go to the Himalayas and spent 5 months there. Folks started to go searching for him, to take pictures and discuss to him, an entire story, simply what he didn’t need: he grew to become well-known and recognized there, and now it’s occurring to him right here.

“It’s so shocking and so superb that it was foreseeable that it was going to go viral in Europe. And we’ve already seen what has occurred nowadays, it has come out in every single place. Thankfully he isn’t conscious of what’s occurring right here.”

The stir attributable to the video uncovered Pons’ new life and in addition triggered speculations in regards to the 33-year-old, with it being claimed that he had both been arrested or had thrown away his passport within the water.

Nonetheless, his father Sito Pons denied these claims had been true.

“Axel is okay and has by no means been arrested,” he mentioned. “He handed over the documentation to the Pakistani company that was in command of managing the visa to have the ability to enter India.”

Axel Pons has remained in common contact along with his mother and father Sito and Laura regardless of having given up on social media and smartphones.

Additionally they spent a while collectively in North Macedonia earlier than the youthful Pons continued onwards to Central Asia.

“At any time when he can join, he calls us and explains what he’s doing,” mentioned Sito Pons. “Some adventures are extraordinary.

“I keep in mind that after I had been strolling for a number of months I needed to share with him a small piece of his expertise, and in certainly one of his calls I advised him that I used to be going to go see him – that was in July 2023.

“He advised me he was in North Macedonia and the instructions to search out him. It was not straightforward to search out him, however I did it and we had been collectively for per week, strolling, speaking, sleeping within the forest, it was an unforgettable expertise.

“I keep in mind that after I mentioned goodbye to him I advised him that what he was doing was very exhausting, it was extremely sizzling, strolling.

“I requested him to return residence when he arrived in Turkey. However he arrived in Pakistan, all the time strolling, and he has been there for six months now.”

Sito Pons, Axel Pons

Picture by: Sito Pons

Sito Pons is happy with the trail his son Axel has taken, praising him for his willpower and self-discipline.

“Axel’s story is admirable for his effort and skill to sacrifice, dwelling life in peace, pushed by love to grasp the world from the human perspective by figuring out totally different cultures and religions,” mentioned Sito.

“To cross the world on foot you need to have nice energy and braveness, and you’ve got our full help.”