“Lots of emotions before getting on the podium”

The Dakar. Many dream of it, few live it. Jean-Pierre Anger, culture assistant to Tinchebray-Bocage (Orne), introduced the event by recalling that the media library is not only a cultural resource center, but also a sharing space through various animations.
It is in this spirit that sixty people attended the captivating account of this unique experience.

A human and mechanical adventure

Leaving on January 3, 2025 for 7,800 km of racing in 14 days and 13 stages through the desert landscapes of Saudi Arabia, the Three team members competed in the H1 truck category, ending to a remarkable 4th place out of 19 competitors. It is more than a hundred trucks in full for the forty categories of trucks present on the Dakar.

Their adventure had started at the end of 2024: boarding of the truck in November, intensive preparation in the summer, and takeoff for Saudi Arabia, on December 29, from Charles-de-Gaulle airport in Paris.

Their truck, dating from 1995, valiantly crossed the tests despite some breakdowns, desensible and two important mechanical breakages.

” We have Well worked all together. I told you: I’m here so that you finish the Dakar and you will finish it … and you have finished it! “, Specifies Max, the mechanic, who made the night repairs with the help of the crew members.

Classic Dakar challenges

Classic Dakar is regularity, precise navigation, and crossing dunesevaluated by a point system. Hubert, Franck and David were able to shine, even winning two steps Over the course of the test.

The goal of the Dakar is to get to the end. It’s a great experience. We won two steps. It is a great adventure. I finished the Dakar!

By adding: “For me, it was a lot of emotions before getting on the podium. It was sublime ».

Each day started at 6 a.m. and ended between 6 and 8 p.m., with little sleep, repairs at night, and a morale sometimes put to the test.

However, team cohesion and mutual aid between competitors marked this experience.

A tasty anecdote was shared: during a general silting up, their team rescued three bogged down truckssuccessively.

“I had more emotion when I arrived, before getting on the podium … than on the podium,” announces Hubert all smiles by savoring this experience.

During the last step, it was a lot of emotion when arriving. An emotion that falls during the waiting time which is long before getting on the podium …

Strong emotions and a desire to leave

Through a slideshow, a film and many anecdotes, the participants transmitted their intense emotion: the beauty of the landscapes, recalling Africa or Mauritania, the euphoria of the podium, and the satisfaction of having overcome the difficulties and to have finished the Dakar 2025.

With this experience, they wish to renew the adventure, subject to finding new financial support.

The evening was closed by Fabienne Dupré, very invested in the organization of this project within the media library which wanted to thank everyone present, as well as the Dakar 2025 team which made it possible to pass a Excellent moment of exchange and sharingfollowed by a friendship pot offered by the Tinchebray media library.

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