What a finale! At the end of an exceptionally close final sprint, it was ultimately Romain and Laura who won Beijing Express, in the footsteps of the golden tiger. They beat Jessica and Patricia, the Corsican colleagues, and became the big winners of this season 18 which ended this Saturday, May 4, 2024 on M6. “It’s the culmination of a dream! We are so happy and above all proud of ourselves. We held on until the end even though it was very, very stressful. It was truly horrible”the 29-year-old tells us.
The hairdresser and his client, from Pas-de-Calais, were never calm during this final in Hanoi, Vietnam. “We were never afraid of the girls during the adventure. But on the starting line, they were extremely determined. It put a lot of pressure on us because we knew we had no room for error”, confirms the 35-year-old mother. Just before racing towards victory, Romain couldn’t hold back his tears. “In the last car, my body was shaking all over. Frankly, I was convinced that we were second and that we had lost! » he assures.
“We were very disappointed to be the reserve pair”
Finally, after running “two endless kilometers”Romain and Laura realized that the giant web of Beijing Express had not yet been crossed. And so they had won. “We screamed with joy! We were at the end of our strength so we both broke down. It was an indescribable, timeless, magical moment. » A memory that they will keep in mind for the rest of their lives. “We even took a piece of the torn canvas, everyone has their own”says Laura, laughing.
The hairdresser and his client savor their victory even more knowing that they were not supposed to participate in this season 18. They only entered the competition in stage 2, after the abandonment of Belgian twins Brandon and Nathan. “We were very disappointed to be the reserve pair so when we found out, we jumped for joyremembers Romain. It was incredible luck. On the other hand, we never set the final as our objective. We moved forward step by step. » From the start of the adventure, the Northerners amazed everyone by immediately winning a stage. Then they never left the top of the ranking, nor participated in a final duel.
“I came back with a great girlfriend”
A flawless course which led them to victory, succeeding Xavier and Céline, the boss and his employee. The two victorious pairs also have one thing in common: they had never spent so much time together before. Beijing Express. “Laura has been my client for ten years so we knew each other but we didn’t see each other outside the salon. Our relationship was purely professional. Then overnight, we were sleeping together and showering together”laughs Romain.
However, this proximity did not bother them. ” VS It quickly became natural between us and there was no ambiguity.assures Laura. I felt like I was leaving with my little brother. What was funny was that we sometimes argued and didn’t know how to react since it was all new to us. » Throughout the adventure, they got to know each other better and their relationship evolved enormously. “I left with a client and came back with a great friendsays the young man. Today, we don’t do anything without each other. We call each other every day and see each other every week. »
They had two favorite pairs
Romain and Laura, who won the sum of €77,660, both intend to use it to travel with their family. The 30-year-old plans to fly to Thailand with her partner and daughter. Romain also wants to go on an adventure with his partner. “We would like to make them experience their Beijing Express their. » But they will not reserve for them trials as difficult as that of the ascent of the Kawah Ijen volcano during stage 2. “It was terribly hard! We walked for five hours with sulfur and under 40°C. We couldn’t take it anymore. Then the day before, we were still at home on our sofa”they laugh.
If they loved Vietnam for the beauty of its landscapes, the hairdresser and his client were especially marked by their visit to Indonesia. They were very surprised by the kindness of the locals. “These people have nothing but give you everything, it’s very moving. We are still in contact with people who have touched us a lot. » They are also very close to the other candidates of this season 18, with whom they have a WhatsApp group. “We all get along very well but we have much more affinities with the Swiss and the Corsicansthey admit. They were our two favorite pairs. »