Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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27th Le Touquet Beach Race STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEOFF MEYER LE TOUQUET, FRANCE, FEB. 24 he enduro Le Touquet is something of a legend in European motorcycle racing. Every February for the past 27 years, about 1000 riders and around 250,000 spectators have arrived at the tiny French village 1 of Le Touquet on the North Sea to watch a three-hour beach race. The event's late-February date means that a cold sea breeze is assured, and this year the competitors were also treated to heavy rain. The Le Touquet Beach Race is, as you might have guessed, no walk in the park. This year's winner was Yamahamounted 'Arnaud Demeester, a 28year-old French rider who had taken victory previously in 1995, '96 and '98. Finishing in second place was French Honda rider Thierry Bethys, the winner in 2000 and '01, and third place went to another French Kawasaki rider, Jerome Hemery. The field for this year's event consisted of 1028 riders, although one noticeable withdrawal was Australian Shane Watts. The former GNCC and World Enduro Champion had intended to make his Le Touquet debut until he broke his wrist in a motocross accident three weeks prior to the sand race. As is the case every year, the riders begin from the parc ferme in the town's center, hurrying onto the (Above) Approximately 1000 riders competed In the Le Touquet Beach Race In France, while an estimated 250,000 spectators looked on. (Left) Frenchman Arnaud Demeester took the win. (Right) Two·time La Touquet winner Thierry Bethys finished second this time. While names like Demeester, Bethys and Hemery (this year's Le Touquet podium) might not be well-known to American motorcycle-racing fans, some of the previous winners should be. MX GP heroes have a long history with the event. In 1979, Finn Hakan Carlqvist took the victory, and Dutch sand specialist Kees Van der Ven is the winningest rider ever, haVing won five years straight and finished second twice. (Van der Yen is now the team manager for KTM's 125cc factory team and also one of the few riders to have taken wins in all three MX GP classes.) In addition, five-time World Motocross Champion (and another of the riders to have won GPs in each class) Eric Geboers won Le Touquet three years running. Other names to grace the beach at Le Touquet are Andrea Malherbe, who finished second in 1984, and Georges Jobe, who claimed second place in 1993. Enduro and Dakar legend Stephane Peterhansel also contested Le Touquet on many occasions, but the French rider never came close to winning the toughest beach race in the world. And while Americans have yet to win Le Touquet, the odd Yank (and we do mean odd) does take part. Among the more recognizable of them are Larry RoeseJer (who finished third in 1979) and Jimmy Lewis. 64 MARCH 13, 2002' cue I e n e vw s