At the end of the great motorcycle race which took place on February 27 in Le Touquet, the traditional golden leek was awarded on Wednesday March 2 by Enduropale Passion, a dozen faithful photographers at the rendezvous.
“It’s the leeks that make all the show!” Jean-Marc Denecker, president of Enduropale Passion, has no doubts. For him, without the leeks, the Enduro would attract fewer people.
The leeks are those amateur participants in the race who “plant” in the sand, like… leeks. Since 2010, the honorary prize of the “golden leek” has been awarded to the best leeks in the Le Touquet motorcycle race, by the association of Jean-Marc Denecker. Born in 2007, Enduropale Passion brings together a dozen photographers in love with the annual competition, aged 20 to 83.
In 2010, we thought we wanted to put leeks in the spotlight. This is an opportunity to humorously congratulate these amateur bikers who have their place in the Enduro. From the year after, some arrived with leeks in the helmet.
Jean-Marc Denecker, President of Enduropale Passion
–
Depending on the year, golden leeks are chosen for different reasons. In 2016, Charles Lehmann was voted golden leek because he had managed to make a turn from the height of his 77 years. A great reward to celebrate his last participation in the race before retiring from motorcycling.
–
Even when there is no Enduropale, there are golden leeks! Last year, the race was canceled due to the health crisis. However, that didn’t stop Serge Nuques from organizing his own Enduro in his garden, with a few friends and some sand imported especially for the event on site. Hearing the news, Enduropale Passion said to itself “he is a real golden leek”remembers Jean-Marc Denecker.
This year, two cousins received this ironic award. With their association with the prophetic name “Objectif Poireau”, Dimitri Arnaud, 35, and Benoît Lerat, 30, had set themselves the goal of getting people talking about them. Just for the buzz? Not really. The cousins want to raise funds for the Vie et Espoir association which helps children with cancer treated at the Rouen University Hospitalwhere the two amateur bikers are from.
–
For a very first participation in the Enduropale, Dimitri and Benoît are very proud to leave with this prize that made them dream. “It’s a real consecration, s’enthousiasme Dimitri. We are happy that this humorous side was able to highlight the association Vie et Espoir. Having recently lost two loved ones to cancer, this cause was close to his heart.
The two amateurs, more accustomed to walking in the forest than on the beach with their motorbikes, trained for a year to be up to it. Dimitri did weight training, cycling and a few outings on the sand to be in shape on D-Day.
Our objective was to finish the race, to be classified and to do three laps. We did four and, even if we are among the last in the standings, at least we held on.
Dimitri Arnaud, golden leek 2022
–
What played in their favor to win the 2022 golden leek, in addition to defending a noble cause, was their mascot, explains Jean-Marc Denecker. “This year, they were almost the only ones who came with a leek!”, wonders the creator of Enduropale Passion. This little stuffed animal hanging from the mudguards brought them luck.
The two cousins are already motivated to participate in the Enduropale again in 2023. For Jean-Marc Denecker, the next objective is to bring together archive photos of the first races from 1975 in order to make they are amateur sites a real “Enduropale Museum”.
–
