- A strong sandstorm swept through the bivouac last night and into the morning.

- The special stage was initially shortened before being canceled for safety reasons.

- The Raid and Historic categories still set off on a route reduced by half.

The ninth stage of the Africa Eco Race, planned as a loop around Amodjar, was canceled today due to extreme weather conditions. A violent sandstorm struck the region, making the stage too dangerous for participants, particularly motorcyclists.

Initially titled "René" in tribute to René Metge, this stage was supposed to cover 449 km, including 401 km of timed sections. However, last night, the Amodjar bivouac was battered by powerful gusts, a situation that continued into the early morning. Despite these challenges, the organizers initially decided to proceed with the stage but relocated the start 51 km away from the bivouac, heading toward Chinguetti.

Participants set off in liaison to tackle the Amodjar plateau. However, the conditions quickly became untenable, with strong crosswinds and extremely poor visibility, endangering the safety of the competitors. In the middle of the morning, the organizers made the difficult decision to cancel the stage and redirect all participants back to the bivouac.

Only the Raid and Historic categories were allowed to continue on shortened routes, following safety guidelines.

This difficult decision was made to safeguard the physical integrity of the participants and ensure the event could continue under safer conditions in the coming days.

Manfred Kroiss, Race Director, stated:

"The sandstorm overnight already prevented competitors from getting proper rest and recovering their strength. This morning at breakfast, the wind was still very strong, with very low visibility. We had planned a new start on the Amodjar plateau, but once we reached the top, the gusts were extremely powerful. We made the tough decision to cancel this beautiful stage and bring everyone back to the bivouac for obvious safety reasons. The Raid and Historic categories remain on the field with a shortened stage, as they face fewer risks and travel at slower speeds. They will enjoy the track around Fort Sagane and should have a good day.

Jean-Louis Schlesser, Africa Eco Race Director, added:

"Under these conditions, it was unreasonable to send competitors onto the track with such limited visibility. This situation was particularly dangerous for motorcyclists. I do not want them exposed to any risk of accidents."

Weather conditions are expected to improve tomorrow, allowing the 10th stage toward Nouakchott to proceed under better conditions.