Interview. Two friends from Flers will take on the Dakar tracks at the wheel of their truck

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They will be three Normans on board the truck. But two of them have been friends since the early 1990s and live a few kilometers from each other.
The first is Hubert Lelièvre. He lives in Flers (Orne) and runs a tire company in Montsecret (Orne), Lelièvre Pneumatiques.
The second is Franck Geenens. He lives in Saint-Georges-des-Groseillers and manages the company GB Forage, located in Athis-Val-de-Rouvre.
The third, David Lemelinis an electrician and lives in Le Mesnil-Eudes, near Granville (Manche).
Meeting with the two Ornais a few days before the big departure

“It’s endurance in fact, great endurance”

How did you come up with the desire to do a Dakar? How did you know each other?

The two of us have known each other since the years 90-92. We rode motorcycles, enduro. We did the Normandy enduro championship, on motorbikes. So we were often together.

And David Lemelin?

We knew him for this race.

Is this the first time you’ve gone on such an adventure? By truck, what’s more.

By truck, yes. Because before, it was always motorcycle adventures. We went hiking, outings in Auvergne, in Romania. We did raids in Morocco, Mauritania, Africa. But, with age, the motorcycle for races like the Dakar becomes a little difficult. And then, Franck has always been immersed in trucks.

How did it start?

Last year I went to the Salon Rétromobile. There was the Dakar. The Dakar is legendary, we’ve been following it from the start. It’s truly a passion.

So I went to the Salon Rétromobile. And then there I saw the people from the Dakar. We talked about all that, I found out. I wanted to do it and my idea was to do it in 4×4. The classic Dakar, because I have a 4×4, a Toyota…

So they invited me to come to Barcelona in May, for the Dakar Tour. Because in fact, they are doing an event, a presentation of the Dakar. Anyone who hasn’t done it can come, can ride… They explain how it works.

There, I realized that there were a lot of things to put in place, to prepare, vehicles, people, lots of things. It’s complicated. And I saw someone from La Manche again called Alexandre Lemerey. Alexandre did his apprenticeship with André Dessoudes. He did 10 Dakars as a mechanic. He has a lot of experience in the Dakar. and I already followed him in previous years, on his truck. I had helped him, I had provided him with some tires.

We discussed all that. And he offered to do it in a truck. He explained to me that it would give me experience, if one day I wanted to do it in a 4×4.

Having created a team with a brand new racing truck, he offered me to take his old one, the one with which he did the Dakar twice. Which allows us to benefit from its assistance truck.

On the way back, I went to see Franck to ask him to be my co-pilot. He didn’t hesitate for a second.

Have you tested the truck?

Yes, in August, in Brienne-le-Château. There was everything there, track racing trucks, Dakar trucks, cars. It’s an automobile event.

And how do you approach that? You know how to drive trucks on the road, I assume. But this is a little different?

Yes, it’s a little different, it goes off-road. We are going to take advantage of our motorcycle experience. We know a little about off-roading. Afterwards, it’s the size that is different. Afterwards in August when we took charge of the truck, we were quite comfortable.

What are the departure and arrival dates?

The first stage is January 4, 2025. The last stage is the 17th and returns on the 20th.

How many kilometers does that represent?

Environ 7 700 km.

And how do you finance all this?

There are a lot of personal funds, but also sponsorship. We started with us, the company GB Forage, Lelièvre pneumatics, MPP precision mechanics in Flers, Agrirainurage, NRJ Flers, Ferré, Techma, Harel Construction,

How much does that represent in total?

Between €90,000 and €95,000.

And what does the Dakar mean to you?

It’s a childhood dream. Because since it existed, in 1979, we have always followed it every year. With a weakness for motorcycles.

The Dakar is a rally at the professional level. All the motorcycle riders went by car afterwards. Because they can’t break away from the Dakar.

So this is a dream come true for both of you?

You wanted to do it in 4×4, and you will leave by truck. Will you still try 4×4 one day?

It stays a little in the back of my mind.

How did you prepare?

We worked several Saturdays together preparing the equipment and the trucks. There are no worries, everyone tries to help each other, find solutions and find what it takes to solve the problem. It’s important to have cohesion, we’re still going to be together for several days. There will be 8: 3 per truck and two mechanics.

What is your goal?

To go to the end, already. This is the case for everyone. There is a lot of giving up, a lot of failure. Mechanics, morals, physics. It remains the toughest rally in the world.

I believe that after a week, 50% of participants have already given up. For the first we will mainly play on reliability, not make any breakages, not try to ride above our level. It’s endurance in fact, a lot of endurance. You have to protect the mechanism as much as possible to get it to the end. Especially since it is a truck that is a few years old, even if it is in good condition.

How many will you be at the start?

There are approximately 430 crews.

To follow the crew, simply connect to the internet. The structure which manages the two Normandy crews is called NRS, and Team Holeshot Competition will be the one led by the two Ornais.

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