Biking Legends: Thierry Sabine - Rally visionary who founded the Le Touquet beach race and Paris-Dakar Rally

Without Thierry Sabine one of the world’s biggest and most challenging events, the Dakar Rally, would never have existed.

Sabine created the first Paris-Dakar Rally in 1979 and through PR skill and force of personality grew it into a global phenomenon.

And yet, if not for a chance, near-death experience in 1977, it might never have happened.

Born June 13, 1949, to a wealthy family, Sabine’s father was a dentist in Le Touquet and occasional rally driver, his mother a Paris antiques dealer.

After graduating in marketing and advertising, Sabine became a moderately successful racing driver, winning France’s 1974 GT series, competing in world rally and racing the Le Mans 24 hours between 1975 and 1977…