Activity

Home » Activity

The 31st edition of the Dakar, the initial one in Latin-America, is now over and has seen the victories of Marc Coma from the bike class, Josef Machacek in the quad category, Giniel De Villiers in the car class and Firdaus Kabirov from the truck category. In total, 113 bikers, 13 quad riders, 91 car teams and 54 truck groups completed the rally-raid, that was notably marked by the outstanding enthusiasm the Dakar generated amongst the crowds in Argentina and in Chile. For the first time, the start did not take place in France, however in Grenada in Spain. Hubert Auriol became the boss of this Dakar on the ground, where he witnessed yet another nice performance from Stéphane Peterhansel in recording a third successive victory. Over 600 vehicles started out from Versailles. Peugeot, that had made a successful debut the preceding year, set out to defend its title. However, Ari Vatanen, having led the rally at Bamako, was at the middle of a jolt when his 405 Turbo 16 was murdered and then discovered too late to last. The lion brand triumphed yet, courtesy of the compatriot Juha Kankunnen. The adventure started back in 1977, when Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorcycle in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. Saved from the sands in extremis, he returned into France still in thrall to the scene and promising himself he would share his fascination as many people as possible. He proceeded to come up with a route starting in Europe, continued to Algiers and crossing Agadez before eventually finishing at Dakar. The creator coined a motto for his inspiration:"A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind" Courtesy of his amazing conviction and that modicum of insanity odd to all excellent ideas, the plan immediately became a reality. Ever since then, the Paris-Dakar, a exceptional event sparked by the spirit of experience, available to all cyclists and carrying out a message of friendship between many men, hasn’t failed to challengesurprise and excite. Over the span of nearly thirty decades, it has generated innumerable sporting and human stories.

To mark the new millennium, the Dakar opted for a route with an endless flavour: the finish has been at the foot of the Gizeh Pyramids, where the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt lie. Jean-Louis Schlesser, who remains the only individual towin that the Dakar on a buggy, retained his title, as did Richard Sainct from the bike category. With this particular edition, a crossing of the African continent, in the north to the southernmost tip, had been the task facing the competitors. The Paris – Cape rally comprised 22 stages and passed through 10 countries on a path stretching 12,427 km! Hubert Auriol won with navigator Philippe Monnet to eventually become the first driver to claim victory in both the bicycle and car categories. Jutta Kleinschmidt, initially observed from the Dakar thirteen years earlier on a bike, had become the first female phase winner in 1998 at a Schlesser buggy. This year, she became the first woman to win the overall event, now in the wheel of a Mitsubishi. A young motorcyclist wearing a blue bandana, first seen on the rally three decades before, rode his Yamaha to victory: that the Stéphane Peterhansel era had begun. On four wheels, however, the Finn Ari Vatanen clocked his fourth title in the category, an album which stands today. Thierry Sabine’s gamble took shape on 26 December 1978, as 182 vehicles flipped up in the Place du Trocadéro to get a 10,000-kilometre journey to the unknown, destination Dakar. The encounter between two worlds sought from the event’s creator unfolded in the African continent. Among the 74 trail-blazers who left it to the Senegalese capital, Cyril Neveu, in the handlebars of some Yamaha 500 XT, wrote the opening entry to the honours list of the best rally on earth. 231 bikers, 14 quads,181 teams in cars and 85 trucks lined up in the start in Lisbon. At the conclusion, the all-terrain activity protagonist Stéphane Peterhansel took his whole number of Dakar successes to nine. After six wins on a bike, he proceeded to reveal similar dominance on four wheels, outdoing not his team-mate Luc Alphand but also his Volkswagen rivals, Carlos Sainz and Giniel De Villiers. For the next South American version of the Dakar, 88 bikes, 14 quads, 57 cars and 28 trucks were able to come back to Buenos Aires after a 9,000-km trip. Cyril Despres picked a third name in the bicycle racewhilst Argentinean Marcos Patronelli was victorious in the quad category. In the auto raceCarlos Sainz triumphed in the conclusion of a ferocious and uncompromising struggle with Nasser Al Attiyah. In the finishing line, the two drivers were separated by the tiniest gap in the background of this rally: two’12". The race was far more relaxed for Vladimir Chagin, that could not quit collecting records if went : he is now tied with Karel Loprais on six titles at the truck category and pushed his complete of stage victories around 56!

After the murder of four French citizens along with three Mauritanian soldiers in the past days ahead of the beginning and replying the strong criticism of the French Ministry for Foreign affairs to not visit Mauritania, the 2008 edition of this rally had been cancelled. Terrorist acts recognized by the French authorities threatened the rally right. On the eve of the start, Etienne Lavigne has been made to announce that the cancellation of the 2008 edition. The competitors accumulated in Lisbon for scrutineering needed to deal with the shock and saluted the accountable decision of the organisers. Thierry Sabine’s ashes were scattered in the town and his dad Gilbert, helped by Patrick Verdoy, took on the helm. The race went but nobody’s heart was really in it.

The motorcyclist Cyril Despres dedicated his triumph on Richard Sainct, who had died a couple of weeks before during the Pharaohs Rally, and to Fabrizio Meoni. His two team-mates in KTM paid for their fire for the desert with their own lives, as did Juan-Manuel Perez, the victim of a deadly collapse. The first visit to the Tenere desert was as astounding as it was terrifying. The opponents found themselves dropped in an interminable sandstorm which induced no longer than 40 motorists to lose their claws. Those who strayed furthest needed to shell out up to four times getting back on course. The legend of this Dakar was underway. The Paris-Dakar rapidly won over the public, fascinated from these ordinary adventurers exposing the desert using limited resources. Yamahas and Hondas"cobbled together in the back of the garage" rubbed shoulders with Thierry de Montcorgé’s Rolls-Royce and the Citroen CX of this F1 driver Jacky Ickx, followed closely by by Claude Brasseur. Hubert Auriol, already known"the African", won his first Dakar.