Christophe Tressens, conquering the sands of the Dakar

By landing overnight from Monday to Tuesday on the tarmac at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the pressure fell a notch for Christophe Tressens, co-driver engaged in the Dakar 2022 with Aveyronais Lionel Costes.

Because, only a few days ago, the Tarbais met in his company located rue des Forges (Tressens Diffusion), evoked the tension, « the stress but not necessarily that of the race because with the team, we have done everything possible to be ready. We are especially stressed to leave with all our negative tests for the Covid. This complicates the administration because we have a lot of things to present for Saudi Arabia and it does not leave us much time to think on the run « .

Feet in the Saudi sand

It is therefore a relieved Christophe Tressens who set foot on land, rather in the Saudi sand, to take the start of his first Dakar, a dream: « With Lionel Costes, he has already raced on a motorcycle, we are Friends and fans of the Dakar for 25 years. We have already been to Africa to see the event and we said to ourselves that it was time to take the start together. It’s the dream of participating in a legendary event and above all to live a human ordeal like there are few. With its hardships, its discoveries, its joys and its extraordinary landscapes. All the more so as the organizers are trying to restore the spirit of adventure of the African Dakar « .

The importance of the browser to play in front

And the Bigourdan will have an important role to play since it will be responsible for navigation, to find its way in an environment more hostile than the holiday highway: « There will be a lot of sand, more than in other years, with a lot of navigation in the dunes. It will be necessary to limit the errors to save time or at least not to waste it « .

Because the crew 316 of the vehicle prepared by PH Sport, the French leader in the preparation and rental of rally and rally-raid cars, fully intends to play the leading roles in the Light Prototype (T3) category. With experience in several races including a 4th place in the rally of Morocco and a 5th in Andalusia: « We prowled on these rallies also organized by ASO to be in line with the notes, the regulations, the terrain, etc. . Also, because you have to practice to be efficient. We do not play the competition, win like the professionals, but we know that we are not making a mistake by both starting. we will go get it, but arriving at the end of the 15 days will already be a victory, ”explains Christophe Tressens.

In Léa’s footsteps

A speech marked by the prudence necessary to go as far as possible which will also allow the crew to donate part of the budget collected to the Aveyron association In the footsteps of Léa « a charitable goal which is close to our hearts ».

For the time being, it’s time for the final tests and adjustments before attacking, on Saturday, January 1, the 352 kilometers of the first two specials where navigation will already be predominant « out of the question to take liberties with the roadbook under penalty of time penalties immediate « , warns the organizer. « Anyway, anything can happen and you have to be good from start to finish », reacts the Tarbais co-pilot. See you at the last corner!