I'm taking part in the Gibraltar Race 2023 motorcycle raid! J8 & 9

Good year, bad year, here I am on the starting line for day 8 of the Gibraltar Race. The fantastic scenery is there for all to see. But even today, my lack of technique is making itself felt. How can I combine physical restraint with the pleasure of riding without accumulating too much frustration? It's a tricky compromise, but I'm fine-tuning the recipe day by day.

On the agenda: a big, big day with 470 km to tackle, including two special stages of 56 and 66 km! I'm setting off feeling pretty confident. My morale is high and I know what limits to set myself.

Most of today's special stages take place in the mountains. Sierra Casola, Sierra Nevada, the trails are magnificent and the scenery sublime. However, you have to keep your wits about you, because on these Spanish high points, every steering error can be costly. Want an example? Tyler, a really good biker, went off the track with his 790. Trapped under his bike with a leaking fuel tank, he had quite a scare! He won't be riding tomorrow.

1st stage: great, everything's going well. 2nd stage? I clench my buttocks, cross my fingers and recite a few druidic incantations on a pebble-strewn descent. It's going well! But I thought I was going to crash. Phew...

My only criticism of today's program: 20km from Malaga, we have to tackle a final mountain track that's a real headache because it's paved with pebbles. In my opinion, it's unnecessary, and even dangerous at the end of this long day. I mention this to the organizers. For my part, I play it safe. Of course, my leisurely pace will earn me penalties, but I don't want to take any risks and, above all, I want to have fun!

My fellow travellers today? No one. I'm riding alone. It has to be said that the technical baggage of the other competitors is much better than mine off-road. In fact, on the road too. They ride fast. Too fast for my taste. Now you're going to say, "It's a race, isn't it? Yes, you're right, except that it takes place on an open road where the tar melts in the sun... I remember perfectly my beautiful 30m slide in the same conditions, 3 weeks ago in the Cantal... The aim is also to enjoy the sublime scenery, isn't it? So I decide to sacrifice the time on the altar of landscape contemplation. In fact, I don't meet many people today. Apart from a snake crossing in front of my wheel, the areas I ride through are desert. What a thrill to be riding in these isolated regions! And what a pleasure it is to get out of the heat and into the cool undergrowth of the Sierra Nevada.

Today, I finished the day very pleased with myself.

Why should you be? I've achieved the objectives I set myself. That is, to pass all the waypoints and not fall. 3rd day in a row without a fall!

I'm really hanging on to this idea because I know it's almost impossible for me to climb the T700 alone. As a result, each bowl puts me at the bottom of the hole psychologically. An exceptional fact? I'm 19th out of 25! Not that I'm riding for the rankings, but it gives me considerable satisfaction. My spirits are high! For your information, so far 10 out of 35 bikers have dropped out of the Gibraltar race.

Notable race event today?

Mickaël, from the Axuri Trail team, blew his engine. After 30 years of loyal service, his 600XT gave up the ghost. The oil is pissing everywhere. It's all the more frustrating because this former road rally driver was in the top 10 of the Gibraltar Race. As you can see, the machines are also put to the test during this race.

Today, things aren't going according to plan... But it's off to a good start. I'm even acting as a guide for a really good driver! Have I made a lot of progress? No, he'd just lost track of the connection... By the 1st special stage, he was back on his map (and smiling). It must have been frustrating for him to keep up with my snail's pace.

As for me, I finished the event cleanly, reaching all the waypoints. Great. Except? It's a different story on the second special stage. Some of the waypoints are hidden and my route clearly leaves something to be desired. So, inevitably, I get tired. I lose a lot of time. Exhausted, I fall, bursting my handguard. But somehow, I manage to get the bike up and off again. I'm exhausted... Having lost all lucidity, one bad decision follows another and I foolishly enter a riverbed where no other competitor has passed. What had to happen happened and I fell again. This time, I can't get my Yamaha anvil back on its wheels. The Danes pass by. "Uh, guys, can you help me please?". They agree. However, they finish their special first. 40 minutes later, they're back and get me out of trouble. 40 minutes of struggling, exhausting myself and losing a lot of energy.

Then it's off to the Gorafe desert. Sublime! A real doldrums, but splendid! And the deeper I go into this lifeless expanse, the more magnificent the scenery becomes. Incidentally, the technical demands of these trails are becoming more demanding. Surprising fact? We pass a muddy section. Yes, yes, mud in the middle of the desert. I'm not going to miss this opportunity to get hard again! The Danes to the rescue. Thanks a million! There aren't too many of us to relieve the T700.

At the end of this section, I'm at the end of my life. Rinsed. Drained. You get the idea. So I decide to cut short the hostilities and take the asphalt back to the bivouac. What follows is 220km of despicable freeway. But in any case, by skipping the last few stages, I'm able to save myself a little, in the hope of being able to set off again in near-perfect shape tomorrow.

Arriving at my destination, I take the time to tinker with my bike. Tyler, who got stuck under his bike yesterday, kindly gives me a handguard to replace the one I blew off today. At 8pm, Vincent from the Axuri Trail team finally joins us. Mirko, a regular in the race, managed to get lost on the last special stage. The last finishers of this Dantesque day were the Danes, who arrived at 11pm. Can you believe it? They will have spent almost 15 hours on their bikes! This makes me even more confident in my choice.

Tomorrow's programme: 576 km including 320km off-road. Psychopathic stuff! Especially considering my technical level and my state of exhaustion after 8 days of racing. Will my strategy allow me to go all the way? Will I be able to save myself without getting too frustrated? I'll tell you the rest in a few days!

----> I'm taking up the challenge of the Gibraltar race: day 5 & 6, two great days; day 7: rest (episode 4)