Thierry Sabine

13/6/1949 - 14/1/1986

Record updated 12-Jun-06

French motorcycle racer and founder and main organizer of Paris Dakar who died in a helicopter crash in 1986.

French motorcycle racer - founder and main organizer of Paris Dakar. The story goes that in 1977 he got lost in sands of Libyan Desert during Abidjan-Nice Race. During this time he decided that the desert would be a good location for a regular rally, where every amateur of racing life could check his abilities. And, in December 1977, he manadge to arrange the first running of the race with starting in Paris and ending in Dakar. He devoted his life to organising the Paris Dakar Rally. He died during the race in an operators helicopter crash in 1986.