Enduropale is a legend in France – it is an event which draws together around a thousand professional and amateur bikers and 800 quad bikers to participate in an international meeting that is both exciting and unique.
Enduropale kick-starts the motorsport season in January/February every year and it takes place on the fine sandy beaches of Le Touquet. It is considered a tough course, in fact maybe one of the toughest and it draws crowds of hundreds of thousands of bike and off road fans and admirers every year to the smart seaside resort of Le Touquet in the Pas-de-Calais.
Hundreds of amateur bikers have the opportunity to compete against the professionals, the big names and the stars of bike and quad bike racing sports on the same track, with the same problems and challenges and maybe even win.
The race was the brainwave of the legendary Thierry Sabine who also created the illustrious Dakar Rally. He launched Enduropale in 1975 and it was then known as Enduro des Sables, a nod to the fact that the race takes place on sand. In those days the race lasted anything up to three hours, weaving in and out of the famed dunes of the area. These days the organisers are more environmentally conscious and the races are shorter and there is no disturbing the dunes but it is still considered by many to the most challenging all-terrain bike race in the world.
The races include a section for youngsters – both bike and quad bike riders, aged from 13-17 and there are particpants every year from some 20 countries worldwide. They take place over the course of two days each year in February, a 17.9 km route for the bikes (a little less for the youngsters) and 14.1 km route for the quads.
You can hear the sound of engines roar a long way off and the sea front and town are packed with around 300,000 people each year who come to watch these competitors do their best in this hugely exciting and thrilling sporting event. Wrap up warm and come and cheer the riders on at this awesome event.
Video of this truly incredible race
Enduropale/Quaduro takes place at the end of January or beginning of February and the cold weather adds to the challenge for the riders.
Here is the official website for Enduropale France.
