The favorites of the faithful of “Beijing Express, in the footsteps of the golden tiger” bow out at the steps of the semi-final. Ryad and Louison, who formed this season’s pair of unknowns, lost to the Corsicans Patricia and Jessica during the final duel of episode 8 broadcast Thursday on M6. The duo will go down in the history of the show for having participated in six final duels (out of seven possible) but above all for the good humor that they spread along the journey, from Indonesia to Vietnam via Malaysia. . “How will people react to our elimination? », asks Louison, 25 years old, to 20 minutes. “It’s going to be a tragedy,” replies Ryad, 36 years old. But the two acolytes, who have become friends, want to reassure their fans: they have no regrets.
Louison, before you embark on your sixth final duel, are you telling yourself that this is a formality?
Louison: I really didn’t want to think about that. At each final duel, I told myself that nothing was certain, that I was not safe from a complicated test or a hitchhiking problem. I told myself: pretend it was the first and go for it!
When you understood that the Corsican colleagues had won this duel, how did you feel?
Ryad: For me, it was a shock. I was in denial. I didn’t accept it. It stabbed me in the heart.
L. : When I got to the end of the aisle and saw that the Corsicans had arrived, I was at first angry with myself, wondering how I could have saved time. I was disappointed because that meant it was over. It was a mix of lots of emotions.
A: We think about everything. In thirty seconds, everything flashes through your head again.
L. : When I’m walking to reach Riyadh, I say to myself: where did we go wrong in the adventure to be in the final duel at that moment?
Don’t you have the impression that there was a return of karma? Ryad, you were particularly teasing with Romain and Laura but also with Patricia and Jessica whose progress you tried to hinder…
A: (He bursts out laughing) I remember it like it was yesterday. Louison told me to remain discreet but I was hot-blooded, there was a place in the semi-final at stake. I wanted to play the destabilization card, Marseille style. If I had to do it again, I would do it again, I have no regrets.
L. : I no longer had control over him at that point. (They both laugh). He was unmanageable.
A: I wanted to burst the Swiss balloons [Flavie et Jérémy avaient écopé d’un « handicap », avant de monter en voiture, ce binôme devait gonfler dix ballons de baudruche. Si l’un d’eux éclatait, ils devaient trouver un autre véhicule.]
L. : He had managed to get a toothpick from somewhere and his obsession was to pop the Swiss balloons while they were inflating them.
Looking back, Ryad, would you have liked to try your luck in one of the final duels?
A: Honestly, no. I have no regrets about my journey and I will do the same again. I was never afraid of having a final duel. My fear was that my partner would be eliminated. As Louison does well in English, for hitchhiking, for leaving quickly and he has the right mentality, I left him on the path to success.
This season, you are the public’s favorite pair…
A: I’m starting to realize it. This love of all French people, for me, is the greatest victory.
L. : I realize it a little without realizing it. I see all the messages that people send me, the “You are my favorite pair”… It is more when I talk with the other candidates that I realize that there is really a enthusiasm around our pair of strangers . It’s destabilizing. How will people react to our elimination? (laughs)
A: It’s going to be drama, without exaggerating. Some will cry like I cried with you, Louison.
What message would you like to send to these people who loved following your adventures on the show and will be saddened by your departure?
A: I thank them very much. I receive messages from all over France but also from abroad, from expatriates in the United States, Canada, Luxembourg, Italy… I really like them. I hope they see us again.
L. : Yes, we must say thank you to them. Of course, we’re not used to it but it’s always nice to receive all these messages. We are proud of our journey. We gave everything. We must not forget that it is a game. We found an opponent stronger than us in this final duel…
A: No, I don’t think the Corsicans were stronger. We have been weakened. There was psychological fatigue. In other circumstances, we would have won. It was bad luck. There was some stress from the semi-finals. We have nothing to regret. We couldn’t have done better.
L. : Who knows, maybe one day “Beijing Express” will call us back, we don’t know…
Between you, the connection seems to have passed straight away, from the first episode. Did you have this impression? Or did it take you a while to get used to each other?
L. : We knew straight away that we could get along well. Where I really started to feel connected to him was when we had the disability [durant l’épisode 4]. There were two of us already struggling, now there were three of us [avec Ayu, une Indonésienne devant les suivre sur tous le trajet]plus a basket of durians and we had to stick together otherwise we were never going to make it.
A: From the start, something happened. On the raft [de la première étape] we were in speed, in competition, and we got to know each other at high speed. Something was created from the beginning and consolidated on continuity. I love him very much and I would love him all the time. You are part of my life, Louison, whether you like it or not. (They both laugh).
Are you ready to go on vacation together?
A: We will do it. We try to call each other what we can. We each have our own lives but we write to each other when possible. Louison is in Nantes, me in Marseille. I would really like to go on vacation with you, Louison.
L. : We will definitely keep in touch and see each other again, obviously.
A: But we has kept in touch!
L. : Yes, I mean that it will continue over time, it will last. Of course I’m going to see this little bastard again (they laugh).
A: You have to show me Nantes and you will come to Marseille.
L. : Yes. My family wants to meet you huh!
A: Oh dear ! Oh, something is happening there! (laughs).