“We were aware that we were not the favorites”, reveal Céline and Xavier

They believed in it until the end and their stubbornness ended up paying off. Xavier and Céline, the boss and employee from Lorraine, won the grand finale of “Beijing Express, the secret choice”, the final stage of which took place in the streets of Rio de Janeiro. For this, the pair, more united than ever, had to face the downpours of a tropical storm, the vagaries of hitchhiking in the Brazilian megalopolis, but also their formidable adversaries Alexandre and Chirine, the strategic couple. Xavier and Céline close this crazy race across South America with a great victory, a jackpot of 31,280 euros and much more. Interview.

When you see the finish line and realize that you are the big winners, you don’t seem to believe it. Winning “Beijing Express” was unimaginable for you?

Celine: Frankly, we had a hard time realizing it. Really, with everything we’ve been through, everything we’ve done… At the start, we never thought we’d make it to the final and win it. We survived! As the stages progressed, we surpassed ourselves, we became stronger mentally and physically. It was from stage 7 that we thought the final was within our reach.

Javier: I was the dean. When I saw the little youngsters who had barely made the start, were already in the cars… With Céline, we weren’t competing with the idea of ​​victory in mind. We wanted to have a great adventure and enjoy every moment. We even said we wouldn’t blame each other if one missed a step. And so first stage passed, second, third… Even us, we were surprised! We didn’t make alliances, we went our own way and we liked everyone.

This final did not start very well on your side. You had to face the difficult weather conditions, and very quickly you got off to a bad start by losing your entire kitty. How do you find the strength to bounce back from that?

Celine: In fact, money was not a motivation for us.

Javier: Never !

Celine: We didn’t even have to tell each other, it was logical that we went all out to the end. If we had to cross the finish line with zero euros, that was no problem. And we also know that in Beijing Express everything can overturn in two minutes, the first can go last and vice versa.

Javier: There, what we wanted was to win, the pride of winning! It’s still huge!

Facing Alexandre and Chirine, the strategic couple, was it a configuration that you feared? Earlier in the adventure you had been in their sights with the red flag.

Celine: In the semi-finals, there remained Alexandre and Chirine, Laura and Alexandra, and us. Honestly, we preferred to be in the final with Alex and Chirine because the sisters are killers! This configuration was therefore the best for us.

Javier: We don’t say that Alexandre and Chririne aren’t strong, they still had I don’t know how many amulets and had won a lot of stages.

Did you think strategy would matter so much in this edition? You seemed a little less into that aspect of the race.

Celine: We tried not to be there, in any case it was not our basic thing strategies. We really wanted to play and move forward for us.

Javier: From the start I said “may the best win”. We wanted to look in the mirror and do it properly. Besides, it worked since we have no conflict with anyone, even now we have remained very friendly with everyone.

For some candidates you were not really among the favorites. Did you yourself feel like you were a bit of an underdog in the race?

Celine: We were aware that we weren’t the favorites and at the same time we knew that physically we weren’t the strongest. And we don’t speak Spanish! Finally we are all the more proud because we had to redouble our efforts to be at the same level as other pairs who were really very strong.

Javier: In addition I am the dean, in the evening it was really hard for me, it was tiring. For Céline it was harder in the morning, but we helped each other. We were a very complementary pair: I had to set an example for Céline, do it to show her that it was possible, and she, if she did it, I had to do it. It was our engine.

Is the fact of not knowing each other intimately an additional difficulty in participating in “Beijing Express”?

Celine: We were afraid that it was a handicap, that we wouldn’t get along because we didn’t know each other well enough and in the end, we found that it was an advantage. We didn’t argue with each other since we both had a bit of restraint. We remained focused on the event and we remained coordinated.

Javier: You let yourself blame more when you’re in a relationship. While between us there was this respect, this distance, this politeness, which meant that even if we argued, it was very gently. And that doesn’t waste time, we stay focused and that’s very important.

Were you prepared to go through some awkward moments, like sleeping in the same bed or seeing your boss take a bath, Celine?

Celine: Sleeping together is the first thing we talked about before. We thought there would be times when there would only be one bed. But honestly, we have our respective lives, there was no ambiguity.

Javier: Yes, the first time, we see how we do it, we get into our sleeping bags and that’s it. You don’t have time to think about it because you’re so worn out! And for intimacy, I gave her a quarter of an hour in the morning, too, and that was good. And me as I get up early…

And where are you with the formality?

Celine: We talk to each other. At first it was a little difficult on my side but now it’s good!

Have you discovered things about one or the other that you did not know?

Celine: That Xavier goes to bed very early…

Javier: Be careful what you say!

Celine: I didn’t say anything bad! Just that you fall asleep earlier than me. Me in the evening I liked to debrief, it was 10-11 p.m., and at 11 p.m. Xavier is sleeping.

Javier: And she, she hangs out in the morning! And there are things everywhere and I have to tidy up.

Celine: You didn’t have to because it was my space.

Javier: They were everywhere, under the table, on the floor! What are you talking about ! (laughter) After yes, Céline is a killer, a warrior, a reckless… She impressed me with her strength and she is not complicated, you can sleep anywhere and she really adapts to complicated situations . It’s impressive.

From a professional point of view it can be a risk to participate with your boss [Xavier, désormais à la retraite, était le DRH, et donc le supérieur hiérarchique de Céline dans l’entreprise]. Have you considered the fact that it might not have gone well?

Celine: Yes, we were a little scared, we asked ourselves the question at the start: Aren’t we going to hate each other? Is it going to be okay?

Javier: It’s still an adventure together, we didn’t know each other at all outside, it was really only a working relationship, so you’re asking yourself the question.

Over the episodes, it seems that your relationship has evolved, have you become more friends than colleagues?

Celine: Yeah now see you outside with Xavier.

Javier: We are friends! Or “potos” as they say on the show. We no longer have the same relationship, I no longer see it as a working relationship but as a friend, we call each other regularly, we eat together… Especially at this time when we share a lot of things. We are even going to watch the final with our respective families, we have rented a room to do it together.

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