Hubert Auriol, former director of Paris-Dakar, is dead

Hubert Auriol in Dakar, Senegal, in 2013. -

Hubert Auriol, former driver and director of the Paris-Dakar rally and first presenter of the

reality show

, died this 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 motorbike (1981 and 1983) and in car (1992).

First presenter of "Koh Lanta"

He went to the other side of the mirror from 1995, becoming the new boss of the Dakar, a position he held until 2004. It was under his leadership that the rally-raid would start for the first time. outside France, from Spain (Grenada in 1995, 1996 and 1999) and even from Dakar (1997 and 2000).

His face would become even more familiar to the general public in 2001, when he added a new string to his bow: television.

Hubert Auriol will also go down in history as the first presenter of a cult television show since,

, during which physical tests and adventure are promised to the candidates.

However, the experience will stop for him after the first season.

The taste for adventure is in fact the common thread in the life of Hubert Auriol, who also has another record, that of the fastest round the world made in propeller planes, in 1987 - shortly after his accident. motorcycle tour - with Henri Pescarolo, Patrick Fourtick and Arthur Powell, in just over 88 hours.

• Rally

• Rally-raid

• Paris Dakar

• Sport

• Television

• Koh Lanta