The recce team has completed the creation of the route and the writing of the roadbook on the ground.
The recces for the Africa Eco Race are finished. This is a major step in preparing for the upcoming edition of the rally-raid, which will start from Monaco on December 28 and finish at the Lac Rose in Dakar on January 12, 2025. In Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal, the recces were carried out by an experienced team, led by Manfred Kroiss, sporting director, and Yves Loubet, head of the Historic category. Their mission? To scout the tracks for 3 weeks to create a route combining new trails, varied terrains, and exceptional landscapes. Before revealing the route details in a few weeks, here’s feedback from the reconnaissance teams and a preview of what awaits the competitors.
A Redesigned Route with New Challenges
This year, competitors will face 11 stages totaling over 3,500 km of special stages across Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal. The first five stages in Morocco will offer 1,700 km of special stages. Despite recent weather conditions in the region, participants will encounter varied terrains to launch the race on challenging grounds. With rain having left its mark, surprises await the crews right from the first tracks.
In Mauritania, the rally will continue with five stages totaling close to 1,800 km of special stages, including new routes and revamped bivouacs. As always, the difficulty will increase compared to Morocco: competitors will face vast stretches of fine sand and majestic dunes that will require skill and endurance to avoid turning this "sea of sand" into a trap. The organization has also planned two loop stages around the same bivouac (3 nights in the same place, in the heart of the desert). This innovation will notably facilitate the work of the support teams.
Finally, Senegal will offer a beautiful stage in the heart of the savannah—a true novelty in this edition—that will be crucial for the final ranking of the Africa Eco Race. This special stage will bring new energy to the competition with its distinctive and diverse terrain, providing a spectacular setting before concluding the race the following day on the traditional special along the shores of Lac Rose.
An Intensified Route for the Historic Category
The regularity race for cars and trucks in the Historic category (vehicles from 1970 to 2007) promises to be more thrilling than ever. The tracks have revealed their treasures: vast untouched landscapes, kilometers of dunes, and endless stretches that will make each Regularity Zone (RZ’s) a new adventure.
Yves Loubet says, "At each stage, the members of the reconnaissance team asked themselves: which will be the most technical? The sandiest? The most challenging in navigation? Or the most mythical? Only the participants will have the final say on these questions, as they discover each track and tackle each challenge."
For this second edition of the Africa Eco Race Historic, the route has been enhanced with more kilometers of RZ’s and the introduction of new Navigation Zones. This added complexity promises surprises in the rankings, making each stage crucial before the final arrival at the legendary Lac Rose. The competition promises to be intense, with suspense maintained until the end, thanks to a meticulously designed route that highlights the technical skills and endurance of the drivers.
Yves Loubet adds: "We designed this Historic race to be fully integrated into the Africa Eco Race, into 'the other race' where professional and amateur riders compete in motorbikes, cars, SSVs, quads, and trucks. The Historic crews experience a true rally-raid adventure, being at the heart of the event, at the bivouac and on the track, with, for example, the same start and finish lines for specials as all the competitors."
Renewed Landscapes for an Enhanced Experience
Beyond the technical challenges, the route reveals new landscapes that will enchant participants throughout their adventure. "With its imposing dunes, majestic canyons, and new trails, Mauritania will bring a more immersive dimension to the competitors. We will pass through legendary spots that have made the rally-raid in Africa famous, such as the Chinguetti region that competitors crossed last year, but also through undiscovered places that remain to be discovered even by those familiar with African tracks. As for Senegal, its new special stage and terrain so different from the previous stages bring a new flavor to the race, offering participants an unforgettable experience," says Manfred Kroiss, sporting director.
Jean-Louis Schlesser, director of the Africa EcoRace, says, "This year, we will offer competitors a unique andchallenging route, enriched with exceptional landscapes and challenges. With Morocco’s oases, Mauritania’s endless dunes, Senegal’s beautiful special
between the baobabs, and the finish at Lac Rose, each stage is designed tointensify the competition and the joy of discovery. It's about pushing one'slimits in breathtaking landscapes. The Historic category, which is gaining real
enthusiasm, will also benefit from an incredible route for an extraordinaryadventure in vehicles that have inspired generations of enthusiasts.
More than ever, the Africa Eco Race embodies the spirit of adventure and the passion of rally-raid, with a course that will be memorable and suspenseful until the very end."
