Hubert Auriol, former driver, director of the Dakar rally and first presenter of the reality show "Koh-Lanta", died Sunday "of a cardiovascular accident following a long fight against the disease", announced his family .
Hubert Auriol, 68, was nicknamed "the African", not only because he was born in Ethiopia in 1952, but also because of the success he had on the tracks of the famous rally-raid, which he was the first to win both in motorcycle (1981 and 1983) and in car (1992).
In 1987, on the eve of the rally's arrival, he was forced to retire after breaking both ankles.
An image that remains etched in the history of the race.
His history with the Dakar did not end after his third victory in 1992. Three years later, he became the new Dakar boss, a position he held until 2004.
His face would become even more familiar to the general public in 2001, when he added a new string to his bow: television.
Until his death, Hubert Auriol will remain close to the general public.
During confinement, he told the story of the amateur Paris-Dakar he had invented.
The opportunity to relive what he loved the most: adventure.