Special envoy to Saint-Nazaire,
The Leonardo peasant proudly steered his cart harnessed at both ends when he left his territory to go to Trégor to sell his cabbages.
Armel Le Cléac'h was born in a cabbage, in Saint-Pol-de-Léon more precisely, forty-three years ago.
On Saturday evening, he entered the restricted club of the triple winners of the Solitaire.
An important moment for him, lived boldly: “It is a source of pride because there are five very good sailors, some of whom were examples for me, like Philippe Poupon when I was a kid.
Later there were Michel Desjoyeaux and Jean Le Cam when I arrived at the Port-la-Forêt training center in 2000. I hardly dared to speak to them.
And then there was Jérémie Beyou and Yann Éliès, my classmates.
I am therefore registering an additional page in the history of Solitaire. ”
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Le Cléac'h and his 3rd crown on the Solitaire:" I have undoubtedly made fewer mistakes than the others "
This third star comes after those of 2003 and 2010. Spaced victories because Armel Le Cléac'h has inscribed his name on other equally prestigious races.
This time a little by default: “After losing my Ultim trimaran on the Route du Rhum, the question arose with my sponsor.
They decided to continue working with me.
We therefore set out again on the construction of a new Ultim which will be launched next spring.
But it doesn't happen like that.
We don't have a mule in the hangar like in Formula 1. So I decided to come back to the Figaro circuit for two years.
To hurt myself and engage in sport.
The new medium had just been released and lots of friends were coming back for the 50th edition.
So it was fate that made me find myself there. ”
A fate that could have been fatal: “It was very hard to live with.
I had made an impact with something the first night of the Rum.
It then deteriorated and I lost my float downwind.
The accident was very violent.
I lived fifteen minutes where I did not know if I was going to make it.
I managed to reach a porthole in the central hull which was upside down to shelter me before being saved by the rescue at sea. This does not call into question the Ultim, the breakage is part of our sport.
In multihulls, there is no joker.
Like in Imoca, where I saw friends lose their 60-footer. ”
A scientifically constructed triumph
The 60-footer, twelve years of his life as a long-haul sailor where he shone, for example finishing twice second in the Vendée Globe before winning in 2016. A story that Armel Le Cléach will not repeat: " I thought about it day and night.
It's a race where you make a lot of personal sacrifices, where above all you engage further than on other supports.
You never know if you're going to finish and even less if you're going to win.
It is heavy to carry.
There are still great stories, great adventures, and I am very happy to have made these three world tours.
It will remain etched in my life.
When the victory came, it was time to turn the page, to look for perhaps something stronger. ”
Leonardo has therefore just returned to victory.
Sensations he lacked.
A triumph that he built scientifically, without ever being in the cabbages: “The race was not dominated like that of 2010, where I had won three stages, but it was mastered compared to what I had come to seek.
Partly on the first section, totally on the second and more complicated to finish but with always the ability to come back to keep me in the lead in the general classification.
Finally, looking back, I can say that it was complete.
Each victory is successful but different.
The first, in 2003, it will be found on the wrist, it's a sprint where victory is played over the last miles and which I won for 13 seconds over Alain Gautier. ”
It is not said that he will return to the race dear to his heart.
But the "Jackal" can invite us to other surprises.
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