N° 189 - TEAM X RQID EMOTION
Jean-christophe MESSIAEN
MESSIAEN
Jean-christophe
BEL
25/06/1965
180 cm
80 kg
Vehicle
MODEL MAKE
525 EXC KTM
RANKING
  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Scratch 112 77 84 75 77 65 75 74 72 72 - 58 70 72
Stage 112 77 84 72 77 65 71 73 67 52 - 57 69 72 - -
Overall 112 83 76 64 61 62 58 57 57 49 - 52 50 49 - -

Jean-Christophe Messiaen: "I want a picture with my brothers on the podium"

In 2004, the project to do the Dakar in a Spanish team never materialised. Jean-Christophe therefore took control of things. In just a few months, he found 54 sponsors to take off in 2005 on the conquest of his childhood dream. The dream came true with an honourable 41st place finish but with it there was also a scary close call. "It was the night before the rest day. I fixed the bike myself and took it for a ride…without a helmet. I had a big crash and found myself in a country-side hospital. I had 22 stitches in my head. The problem was that with the bandage my helmet didn’t fit. I did what I could and managed to reach Atar and then finish the event".

Jean-Christophe thought he’d experienced what is the legend of the Dakar. But his example inspired his two younger brothers (Vincent and Dimitri) who will also race but in a car. “Leave my two little brothers alone in the desert? Impossible.” Problem: «I promised my wife I would only do the Dakar once…it wasn’t easy to convince her», Jean-Christophe says with a smile, who leaves to South America with a goal, above all else, familial: “I want a picture of me and my brothers on the podium…no matter where we finish.” What a way for the three brothers to pay respects to their mother, who passed away just prior to the start of the last Dakar.

Dakar start photos on line: www.maindruphoto.com
»