Two factories are dedicated to building Tauruses and Mercury Sables, the Taurus's mechanical twin.

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He crossed the finish line of the 24, 000-mile race in Les Sables d'Olonne on 30 January.

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The Marathon des Sables covers a distance of 151 miles (243 kilometres) in six days - the equivalent of nearly six regular marathons.

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The Vendee Globe, which is a non-stop race covering an average of 27, 000 miles (43, 452km), got under way on 9 November 2008 from the French port of Les Sables d'Olonne.

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His rowing companion Mr Humphreys, 32, from Clapham, London, previously spent four years cycling round the world, has written two books and run the Marathon des Sables, a six-day endurance race across the Sahara desert.

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Loiseau has worked at the highest levels of complex horology for more than 30 years and is the creator of several remarkable timepieces, including six Montres de Sables, the Rose de Temps clock, the Renaissance or Capriccio pocket watches and the famed Blancpain 1735 wristwatch.

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