"My family worked in the restaurant business - nothing to do with bikes - I caught the motorcycle bug from a friend Pascal Couturier, who competed in trials".

Cyril spent his childhood at Nemours, 15 kilometres from Fontainebleau and at 13 decided to buy his first bike. " I didn't have any money but I read lots of motorcycle magazines and saw pictures of an 80cc. It looked like a BMX!"

One Wedneday Cyril caught the train to Paris, without telling his parents, went to the bike shop Challenge 94 and did a deal with the salesman.

"I went back home and explained to my Dad that I wanted a motorcycle and the next week we went to pick it up. Fortunately for me he didn't realise anything was up even though the salesman talked to me as if he knew me."

Very quickly Cyril got a taste for his new sport and discovered the risks involved.

"I was competing at regional level (Ile de France) and in the first three years had plenty of accidents. I Broke a toe, then a thumb and injured my knee. But I also had a lot of fun."

His role model at the time?

"My friend Pascal Couturier. He was a little better than me (laughs) - he was twice team trials champion!"

Until the age off 22 Cyril continued competing in trials, while following the Paris-Dakar closely on television.

"But at the time what really interested me was trials".