Maxime Pouponnot knew about the start of the Dakar having accompanied his father there in 1998, to Versailles, when he was two years old. This week, the Niortais discovered its arrival. “Only happiness”he marveled under the final arch, crossed at Shubaytah, in the desert of Saudi Arabia.
The 29-year-old biker completed the toughest race, lasting two weeks and around 8,000 kilometers. An adventure lived as a family alongside his father Laurent and his brother Rémy, “proud” of their protégé.
“Happy to have passed such a test”
“It's a lot of emotion, because I never put pressure on myself but it's something I really wanted to do. And when I put myself into something, I really try to go all out and succeed.”commented Maxime, 62e at the finish, hard-earned finisher's medal around my neck.
“I am happy to have passed such a test. We are now going to take some time, enjoy with my wife and my family. »
The Niortais also leaves the Dakar with a “Dare”, awarded by the organization to reward his combativeness during a stage finished late at night, after long hours of mechanics to repair his motorcycle, then piloting in the light of the lighthouse in the dunes. “That one, I’ll remember!” »he jokes.
His determination allowed him to go to the end and complete the stage. Without this, he could have continued the race, without receiving a finisher's medal.
-Chollet on the way to the tenth
A regular at the Dakar, Guillaume Chollet finished for the sixth time in nine participations.
“It’s still so emotionalhe beamed upon arrival. It was a crazy Dakar. You had to be ready, solid, strong, sometimes have the intelligence to give back, which I did… I am satisfied with my Dakar. And I say it: it is not my medal, but our medal, because there are many people who participated so that I could have it. I think of my darling, my children, my parents and parents-in-law, my friends, my partners… I am well aware that without them, I would not do much-chose. »
Ranked 51ethe Niortais improves his best result in the race by eight positions. The icing on the cake, but not a priority, he says.
Guillaume Chollet completed his sixth Dakar in nine appearances.
© (Photo A.S.O./DPPI/J.F.LeFloch)
“Halfway through, they put it in my head that I had to go for it, push. I forbade myself… I know the stakes and in the end, that I finish 50e or 48eI'm happy, because the objective is to be at the finish. » This is the whole experience of the Deux-Sévrien biker that spoke.
For several years now, Guillaume has stated his intention to reach ten participations. One last one for the road in 2026, then? “I didn’t say that”he smiles. “The goal is to do ten on a motorcycle, then we’ll see. The problem is that I'm 41 years old, I don't see myself retiring from the Dakar yet… See you in 2026, then we'll see what happens next. But I'm not announcing that it will be the last! »
