A year after his last-minute package, he confided his excitement to the Parisian at getting back behind the wheel of his buggy. “I’m in early retirement but super motivated for this Dakar 2026,” says the man the Dakar caravan nicknames “Jipé”. On the eve of his 80th birthday, which he will celebrate on May 8, Jean-Pierre Strugo is the living memory and the dean of this legendary event. He has been present since… 1985 and will take the start of his 32nd Dakar this weekend. From the inaugural arrival at Lake Rose to the Saudi desert via Mauritania or South America, Strugo is an open book in itself. The person concerned is aware of having “the chance, at almost 80 years old, to be able to compete in the Dakar. » He also tries not to overdo it by tackling, “once a week, a good gym and flexibility session. »
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