Famous Faces - Part 1

Monday 12 December: At the MXoN in France there were famous faces I recognised. There were some I didn't but knew they were famous simply by the reaction of the crowd. We were going to do this as a feature in DRD but some of the images were not up to print standard. I will do one a day as we count down to Christmas.

I saw them wheeling in the 2012 WR450F and did not have a clue who the guy with the helmet was! – plus all the conversation and commentary was all in French! I tagged along at a distance. The commentators were hyping it up and the huge crowd were chanting a name and he was waving back - still I was none the wiser!

The WR was set-up and the photographers all pushed and shoved for position. I did photograph him but it wasn't 'till after we got back that I saw this Yamaha image and his identity was revealed.

Meet Stéphane Peterhansel, winner of the Paris Dakar Rally, riding Yamaha motorcycles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1998. Then again driving Mitsubishi Pajero SUVs in 2004, 2005 and 2007, making him one of the most successful Paris-Dakar ‘personalities’ in the history of that race. He competed in the Race of Champions in 2005 and 2006 and is also a two-time World Enduro Champion.

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