Death of a Hero

Hubert Auriol and Vanina Ickx, Dakar rally, Niger, 2000.

Death of a Hero

He was born in Ethiopia and nicknamed “the African” by his mates, motorcycle, car and airplane pilots. Today, the world of sport mourns the passing of Hubert Auriol, multi-world champion and triple winner of the Paris-Dakar in its heyday. Multi-fractured too, getting back in the saddle no matter his injuries. In between two races, Hubert Auriol had bested the world record held by the famous Howard Hughes, the fastest round the world trip in a Lockheed L-18 Lodestar. Hubert, ever the gentleman in a rush, needn’t have crossed this last finish line so soon.