- IN THE BIKE CATEGORY, THE THRILLING DUEL BETWEEN APRILIA AND YAMAHA CONTINUES. TODAY'S VICTORY GOES TO BOTTURI (YAMAHA), WHO REGAINS THE LEAD IN THE OVERALL STANDINGS.
- ON FOUR WHEELS, BENOÎT FRETIN WINS THE STAGE AGAIN AND EXTENDS HIS LEAD IN THE OVERALL STANDINGS.
- IN TRUCKS, WILLIAM VAN GRONINGEN BOUNCES BACK AFTER YESTERDAY'S SETBACK.
The 4th stage of the Africa Eco Race took competitors from Touizgui to Laâyoune, marking a spectacular southwest descent. This 499 km route, including 486 km of special stage, offered one of the most impressive Moroccan stages of this edition. The vast desert expanses, interspersed with dunes and camel grass, presented a real technical challenge for participants. Navigation, crucial in this featureless terrain, proved decisive in each category.
Bikes: Botturi regains the lead !
The battle at the top between Yamaha and Aprilia is intensifying. Alessandro Botturi (Yamaha) delivered a strong performance, finishing in 5:24:36, closely followed by Jacopo Cerutti (Aprilia), less than 3 minutes behind. Norwegian Pål Anders Ullevålseter (KTM) took third place, more than 24 minutes back. This third-place finish marked a strong comeback for Ullevålseter, the 2016 event winner, who is aiming to disrupt the Italian rivalry.
Rider comments:
Alessandro Botturi: "It was a long and tough stage, but I’m back in the lead ahead of Jacopo, so today’s strategy and navigation worked well. It’s been a good day."
Pål Anders Ullevålseter: "An excellent day for me, but the last 100 kilometers were very tough, with complicated navigation. This is an area where, if you get lost, you can stay lost for a long time, with no landmarks at all. I didn’t get lost, but I had to slow down and focus to ensure proper navigation."
In the overall standings, Botturi takes the lead with just 1’28 ahead of Cerutti. Ullevålseter moves into the top three, 1h34 behind the leader. Notably, the provisional podium brings together three former Africa Eco Race winners: Cerutti (2023), Botturi (2020, 2019), and Ullevålseter (2016, 2015), highlighting the experience and skill of these competitors.
Cars: Benoît Fretin unstoppable
Benoît Fretin continues to dominate the car category, winning his third consecutive stage in 5:17:17. Tomas Ourednicek finished 4 minutes and 34 seconds behind, followed by Vincent Vroninks, 5 minutes and 23 seconds back. This podium mirrored the previous day’s results, confirming the competitiveness of the top three drivers.
Fretin’s remarks at the finish line: “A complicated special stage: we got stuck in the sand and lost 7 or 8 minutes getting out. Then, heading west with the setting sun, visibility wasn’t great. But we’re having so much fun on this Africa Eco Race—way better than being in the office! Especially today, when we hit the maximum allowed speed several times."
In the overall standings, Fretin strengthens his lead with an advantage of over 30 minutes over Vincent Vroninks. In third place, Tomas Ourednicek is nearly 43 minutes behind the leader.
Trucks: Van Groningen bounces back!
After mechanical troubles yesterday, William Van Groningen (Iveco) delivered an outstanding performance, winning the stage with a 5-minute, 56-second lead over rival Gerrit Zuurmond.
In the overall standings, Zuurmond maintains a comfortable 1h50 lead over Van Groningen. The latter, however, proves he remains a formidable competitor.
Historic Category: no changes in the desert
In the historic category, there were no changes in the overall standings. Eric and Tom Clayes (Toyota Land Cruiser 73) remain in first place ahead of Kurt Dujardyn and René Declercq (Bombardier Iltis), followed by Fabrice and Magali Morin (Toyota). Participants praised the stunning landscapes and ideal conditions for showcasing their classic vehicles.
A glimpse of the adventure ahead
This stage was a snapshot of what makes the Africa Eco Race so magical: breathtaking landscapes, varied terrain, and fierce competition. As the rally continues its descent southward, suspense remains high in all categories. Tomorrow, competitors will head to Dakhla with a 629 km stage, including 431 km of special, featuring sandy but fast tracks. The following day will offer a well-deserved rest day, dedicated to mechanical maintenance and physical recovery before tackling Mauritania in the second week of racing.
