Bernard Darniche celebrates his 83rd birthday: “I have lived my career like a sword of Damocles”

Ce Carpooling comes from AUTOhebdo n°2234, published on September 18, 2019.

We've been near the Longchamp racecourse in Paris for barely 5 minutes, and this is the third cyclist to greet you. You're a star!

I come here very often for my bike ride. Tomorrow, I plan to ride 80 km in the early morning. A joke goes around among local cyclists that I have the keys to the place (laughs). My family is cycling. I was destined to be a professional cyclist and my idol was Eddy Merckx, before moving up to the Gordini Cup in 1968.

We're driving an Abarth 124 GT. This is a model you're quite familiar with...

When I left Alpine In 1974, I was "headed" by Fiat Abarth Turin. My first mission was to develop the Fiat X1/9. I had a workshop and a team of engineers at my disposal. At the same time, I was asked to race the 124 Abarth Rally. She had a good face, but unfortunately she didn't bring me any results (abandoned the Tour de Corse 1974 and Monte-Carlo 1975. Editor's note). My competitive time, combined with development work, was too haphazard, and that worried me. By mid-1975, the X1/9 program had stopped. I also drove, at Fiat's request, the Abarth 131 in the Tour de Corse, winning two races in a row (1977 and 1978. Editor's note). I am also the only one to have won an asphalt round of the World Championship driving it.

In the collective imagination, you are associated