GADIOUX Francis FRA 12/01/1967 178 cm 72 kg

Vehicle

MODEL	MAKE
450 WRF HFP	KTM

RANKING

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Scratch	27	28	31	36	67	38	40	40	38	43	-	60	31	38
Stage	27	28	31	34	67	38	40	40	35	34	-	59	29	38	-	-
Overall	27	24	26	27	35	36	34	34	31	25	-	32	28	28	-	-

Francis Gadioux: «Alone for 36 hours in the desert, I had time to think »

Francis Gadioux didn’t enter the 2008 Dakar due to an injury suffered on the 2007 edition. In the space of a week, the French rider separated both shoulders. All the same, he went on to finish the rally before having surgery upon his return to France to repair the damaged ligaments. The Dakar, “is both extreme and pointless”, Francis jokes. Why not just retire? «It is the philosophy of the rally”, he explains. “For the respect of the work and preparation put in, the respect of the others who share in the adventure through your experiences, you don’t have the right to just drop out.”

Shoulders healed, Francis makes his Dakar return more determined than ever. “To go all the way isn’t enough, I’m aiming for the top 20.” He will try to avoid problems on this his third Dakar. This admirer of Africa, created his ‘Goutte à goutte’ association, which is an operation in the north of Senegal for improving irrigation techniques says he’s ready to “discover new countries” in South America, despite his opinion that the rally should return sooner than later to its origins in Africa.

His greatest souvenir from the rally? A nightmare, no doubt. On stage 10 of the 2006 edition between Kiffa and Kayes, Francis Gadioux was riding in the top ten of the stage when his bike broke down with a very difficult to detect electrical problem. “I waited 36 hours for the broom truck in the middle of the desert,” he remembers. “And it rained during the night.” So, how did ‘Gad’ spend his time? «I talked and thought to myself, but I didn’t do anything foolish.”

Dakar start photos on line: www.maindruphoto.com

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