N° 014 - TEAM KTM - TONI - TOGO

DUCLOS Alain FRA 25/06/1971

Vehicle

MODEL	MAKE
690	KTM

Alain Duclos: « It’s like the Tour de France for the French»

Born and raised in Senegal until the age of six, before moving to the Ivory Coast and then on to France to continue his education, Alain Duclos knows of what he speaks when asked about the Dakar’s status in Africa. “There are those who criticise without having all the facts”, says Alain. “For Africans, the Dakar is like the Tour de France for the French. It is a free of charge event with unlimited access…obviously, there have been some accidents but the safety rules have become more and more restrictive. You cannot forget that 70% of the Dakar budget is sent on African soil. I think that overall the Africans are pleased”.

But for Africans wanting to participate on the Dakar access is still due to its high costs. This year there are little more than 20 entered. Alain Duclos finished seventh overall in 2006 and he’d like to make the move to professional status. “I’m trying to become a pro, but I barely have enough money to do the Dakar. And I don’t have what I need to prepare properly.” Admittedly, his preparation has not taken place in the best of conditions. It’s not easy to reconcile the rally with a career as a section engineer. “For the Dakar, I will pack my bags on Friday, go to work and then be in Lisbon on Saturday. Last year, I was extremely tired and that is what led to me dropping out.”

But the Dakar is worth the suffering and fatigue. The famous race became a part of Alain Duclos’ life in 1982, when the caravan passed near his village in the northern region of the Ivory Coast. The racers spent the night in the homes of the locals. “My family hosted Raymond Loizeaux and he passed on his passion for the event to me. It was a huge awakening.” After his stay, he gave his race bib, #102, to young Alain. “In a way this bib became my security blanket”, Alain remember amusingly. During his first Dakar in 2000n Alain Duclos handed the jersey back to Raymond Loizeaux…a nice way to bring things full circle….

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