Five facts about Stephane Peterhansel, who won the Dakar Rally for the 12th time on Sunday:
Something old and blue, and sweet
Peterhansel has powered to a dozen titles with a lucky charm always by his side. He bought a blue bandana in Paris in the run up to his first Dakar win in 1991 - to go with the colour of his Yamaha bike - and he has worn it every year since. Nowadays it's a little ragged so instead of tying it around his neck he tucks it into the pocket of his overalls. In his other pocket is without fail a packet of his favourite Haribo sweets.
The pipes the pipes are calling
He could have ended up as a plumber, fixing taps and dishwashers, so the story goes, instead of scaling motorsport's Everest year after year. His father allowed him to drop out of school at 17 to show he had what it took to become a professional motocross racer on the proviso that if he didn't make it he'd have to join the family's plumbing business.
Survival and boredom behind switch to cars
Six of his dozen titles came on two wheels but in 1999 he made the move over to cars, adding a further record six wins. Although never involved in a serious accident he says he'd seen riders “die in front of me” and others “left in wheelchairs”. He was also getting lonely on a bike.
“In the car you can tell your co-pilot how you're feeling”.
Peterhansel wins, Giniel 3rd after Dakar drama
Drama in the dunes
Peterhansel's latest path to glory was not without the odd hiccup. On Wednesday the 50-year-old veteran powered into an ultimately decisive lead when annexing the 10th stage, but not before a truly disastrous start to the day. First the Peugeot driver got hopelessly lost.
“I blew a fuse because I thought I'd lost everything,” he said. Then he had a flat tyre. “I started screaming my head off, I was a bit out of my mind today!”
It could have been 13
Peterhansel would likely be celebrating his 13th rather than 12th title but for controversial team orders from Mini in 2014. The British manufacturer laid down the law three stages from the finish to ensure a podium lockout from Peterhansel, Nani Roma and Nasser Al-Attiyah.
Organisers slammed the move as “shocking and disappointing”. Roma overturned a 26 second deficit on the Frenchman to duly claim success on the final day, leaving Peterhansel frustrated.
AFP
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