If it was very difficult for Gérard and Cédric for a month and a half, the Pékin Express adventure was not without its challenges for their partners either. Eliane admits that she was a bit selfish: “Not having any news, not knowing how they were reacting, it’s tough. I really wanted them to come back quickly but that would mean the game was over. It was selfish of me, I admit, but it was a long time.”
Cédric’s girlfriend agrees: “Before he left, we thought it wouldn’t be hard because we thought they wouldn’t be gone long. But in the end, I missed him after just a week. The absence of a person comes very quickly. I had a hard time holding up for so long.”
However, they both acknowledge that they are relieved to see them in the finals. Now, they hope that they have pushed themselves to the limit and have won the game. Emeline, however, did not think the two men would be able to go this far: “I am both surprised and very happy. Several factors come into play in the race and they managed to make it to Lima. It doesn’t hurt to see them there, I am even super proud of them.” The young woman also recognized the man she encounters every day in the footage: “I recognize him in what is shown. At the beginning, he was grumbling, he was disappointed. Then the joking side came out again, which reassured me. Even though in the first stages he was not too into the race, he managed to relax and let go, now aiming just for victory.” The mother confirms: “That’s really them. They were a bit more upset than usual but that’s normal because of the game since it’s a competition. They are always clinging but they adore each other. Their character, everything we’ve seen, that’s Gérard and Cédric.”
The father and son have gotten to know each other anew during their journey, as the young man has lived away from his family for more than two years. Emeline is delighted that Cédric ran the race with Gérard: “I am very happy that they could do it together. There is no better relationship than that between a father and his son because there is a very strong family bond. Especially since we found the same complicity between the two during their crossing as exists in life. They are not vindictive so everything is fine after five minutes. That’s their strength.” If the young woman states they are not vindictive, she acknowledges that her boyfriend “has a strong, well-set character.” Eliane also notices a flaw: “I did not think there would be such strong moments of tension, that Cédric would get so angry. Sure, he gets angry easily but not to that point especially knowing there was a camera, that people would see him.”
Both the mother and girlfriend discovered a talent in Cédric while watching the show, that of picking up languages quickly. Even though his many years of Italian certainly helped him speak Spanish and Portuguese, he managed to make himself understood by the locals to advance in the race. An achievement considering he did not speak a word of these two languages at the beginning of Pékin Express.
This performance allowed him to reach the finals with his father. In this stage, they will face the women from Lille in the streets of Lima. But come what may, both are happy to have their partner back and they state it loud and clear, they are very proud of them.
To find out the result of the two men from Nice, tune in tonight at 8:50 PM on M6.
Photo credit: M6/Christophe Géral
[Link to article](https://www.nicepremium.fr/article/pekin-express-gerard-et-cedric-en-finale-ce-soir.3080.html)
