Gentlemen since 1976

Anthony nervously glances at the two motorcycles beside him: a Beta 125 RC on his right, a Husqvarna CR 360 on his left... The roar of the 200 other bikes around him becomes deafening, the start will be given in a few seconds... Above all, don't stall, keep your cool, accelerate hard to break free from the pack, but not too hard so as not to get bogged down... Even if the wind, coming from the sea, is present and the temperature is close to zero. Anthony feels absolutely no cold....

He is ready. His 250 Cappra too. You could say he's been waiting for this moment for a long time... 40 years? No, that's not possible, Anthony is only 24 years old. But the start has just been given: It's off for the 3rd Touquet Enduro des Sables! The noise has reached its maximum, so many motorcycles starting at the same time, you can hear it all the way down Rue Saint-Jean! Anthony opens the throttle and takes off!

We are, undoubtedly, in 1976 given the number of Bultaco, Aspes, Fantic, Elsinore, XL, CR, DR that draw a long cord of white smoke on the beach, temporarily replacing the invigorating iodine of the North Sea with the fumes of Castrol 2T for the noses of enthusiasts who came to watch the race.

But we are not in 1976 but in 2016, at this mythical Touquet enduro which has become, since last year, a separate - and complete - event: the Vintage Enduropale. Everything, however, could have led us to believe it. The vintage motorcycles, the riders, sometimes also vintage themselves, who play the game and race as they did in those years, in Barbour jackets, Sidi boots and open-face helmets.

Anthony Ducatillon with his 1976 Montesa, completely original, might not be an exception to the rule. But he is not quite like the others. On that day, Anthony is also called Hubert. His father's name, who died when he was three years old and to whom he pays tribute today, forty years later. With the same motorcycle his father used to finish third in the Gentlemen's category in 1976.

Gentlemen! Could there be a better qualifier to describe the hundreds of amateurs who, since the beginning, have made the success, the interest, the spice of the Touquet Enduro? Certainly not! It still takes them today for the adventure to be as beautiful as Gaëtan and Antoine from Galb Motorworks who helped him get his machine, which had been sleeping in the family shed for so many years, back on track... Like those from Gentlemen's Factory who dressed him in the nostalgic customizable checkered jersey. All his band of friends, family who must have had their hearts seized seeing this timeless and eternal silhouette pass through the dunes.

Anthony completed both heats of this Vintage Enduropale with his heart racing. It would be simply inappropriate to ask him his place. Because today Anthony has won everything: The respect and admiration... of his peers.

Anthony is wearing a customizable vintage motocross jersey that you can buy here

: http://www.gentlemens-factory.com/fr/sweat-shirt-homme/256-jersey-moto-vintagepersonnalisable.

Text: Pascal Lefebvre

Images: Laurent Scavone

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Enduropale du Touquet - Touquet vintage - Anthony Ducatillon wheely in the sand - Gentlemen's Factory official rider[/caption] [caption id="attachment_231" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Montesa Cappra 250 - Enduropale vintage du touquet - Vintage motocross version[/caption] [caption id="attachment_232" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Montesa Cappra 250 - Enduropale vintage du touquet - Vintage motocross version[/caption] [caption id="attachment_222" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Enduropale du Touquet - Touquet vintage - Anthony Ducatillon official Gentlemen's Factory rider - Customizable vintage motocross outfit[/caption] [caption id="attachment_221" align="alignnone" width="900"]

Enduropale du Touquet - Touquet vintage -Team Gentlemen's Factory[/caption] [caption id="attachment_234" align="alignnone" width="854"]

Alpine Star vintage boots - Enduropale vintage du touquet - Vintage motocross version[/caption] [caption id="attachment_233" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Montesa Cappra 250 - Enduropale vintage du touquet - Vintage motocross version[/caption] [caption id="attachment_232" align="alignnone" width="1280"]

Montesa Cappra 250 - Enduropale vintage du touquet - Vintage motocross version[/caption]

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Enduropale du Touquet - Touquet vintage - Anthony Ducatillon official Gentlemen's Factory rider - Customizable vintage motocross jersey[/caption] [caption id="attachment_224" align="alignnone" width="854"]

Enduropale du Touquet - Touquet vintage - Anthony Ducatillon official Gentlemen's Factory rider - Customizable vintage motocross jersey[/caption]

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Raphael Loridan - Gentlemen's Factory[/caption] [caption id="attachment_215" align="alignnone" width="900"]

Vintage motocross race - Montesa Cappra - Anthony Ducatillon official Gentlemen's Factory rider[/caption] [caption id="attachment_214" align="alignnone" width="2000"]