8TH STAGE: AMODJAR - AMODJAR: A LEGENDARY STAGE IN THE MAURITANIAN DESERT
• Stéphane Peterhansel joins the Africa Eco Race bivouac for a few laps on a Yamaha in the land of his legend.
• On motorcycles, Francesco Montanari (Aprilia) takes his first stage victory ahead of Pål Anders Ullevålseter and Guillaume Borne.
• In the four-wheel category, Benoit Fretin remains unstoppable, while Philippe Champigné's SSV faces major challenges.
This Wednesday, the participants of the Africa Eco Race tackled a spectacular 356 km loop around Amodjar, including 351 km of special stage. This demanding and technical stage offered a total immersion in the Mauritanian desert, combining soft sand dunes, rocky tracks, and tricky navigation sections. A prestigious guest marked this day: Stéphane Peterhansel, known as "Mr. Dakar." Returning to the African terrain where he built his legend, he joined the bivouac to participate in the Raid category (non-competitive) on a Yamaha Ténéré 700 to Dakar. Engaging with participants and sharing valuable advice, he inspired all the pilots present.
MOTORCYCLE CATEGORY
Italian Francesco Montanari (Aprilia) excelled, claiming his first stage victory in 4h14, ahead of Norwegian Pål Anders Ullevålseter (KTM) by 2 minutes and 55 seconds. The latter achieved an impressive comeback after starting 36th this morning. Guillaume Borne (Husqvarna) completed the podium, finishing 11 minutes and 51 seconds behind the winner. Relieved of his back pain thanks to the medical team’s care, Guillaume proved that when in top form, he’s a podium contender.
The general classification leaders, Alessandro Botturi (Yamaha) and Jacopo Cerutti (Aprilia), finished 10th and 13th, respectively, each conceding nearly 30 minutes. This might be a deliberate strategy to avoid opening the track tomorrow, where complex navigation awaits. Cerutti, back in top shape after battling fever yesterday, expressed confidence.
In the overall standings, Botturi maintains the lead with a 9-minute-49-second advantage over Cerutti. Montanari climbs to third place, 1h46 behind the leader, followed by Guillaume Borne at 1h55.
FOUR-WHEEL CATEGORY
In cars and SSVs, Benoit Fretin (Century CR6) claimed his fifth stage victory with a time of 4h27, ahead of Martijn Van Den Broek (Can-Am) by 7 minutes and 18 seconds. Polish driver Magdalena Zajac, completed the podium, 14 minutes behind.
In the overall standings, Fretin remains untouchable, holding a 4h07 lead over Van Den Broek. Pierre Lafay retains third place, 44 minutes behind Van Den Broek and 4h51 behind Fretin.
At the finish line, Fretin emphasized caution: "I don't want to make any mistakes. Yesterday, I saw a top driver roll over in Saudi Arabia. It’s a reminder to stay vigilant until Lac Rose."
In the SSV XTREME RACE category, Van Den Broek widened his lead over Lafay, now at 44 minutes. Philippe Champigné faced a particularly challenging stage with mechanical issues. He remains third overall but is now nearly 20 hours behind the leader.
At the finish, Van Den Broek, an experienced rally-raid and Dakar competitor, remarked: "This stage is the most beautiful of my life in rally-raid."
TRUCK CATEGORY
Among the trucks, victory went to Gerrit Zuurmond, who completed the stage in 5h04, ahead of William Van Groningen by 5 minutes and 23 seconds. In the overall standings, Zuurmond consolidated his lead with nearly a two-hour advantage over his closest rival.
HISTORIC CATEGORY
Participants in the Historic category enjoyed an exceptional day on the "Legend Stage," a route that led them to the heart of Chinguetti, nicknamed the "Sorbonne of the Desert." This iconic course, evoking the spirit of African rallies of yesteryear, delighted competitors. The overall standings remain unchanged.
ENCOURAGING NEWS FOR ANDREA PERFETTI
The medical report for rider #58, Andrea Perfetti, shows stable and encouraging signs this evening. The rider, injured in the accident involving a light aircraft from the organization, will be transported tomorrow to a hospital in Milan, where his wife and children are waiting for him. The entire Africa Eco Race organizing team and all the competitors are thinking of him and his family during this difficult time.
THE RACE REMAINS OPEN, SUSPENSE BUILDS
Navigation will be critical tomorrow on a new loop around Amodjar. This stage, simply titled "René," pays tribute to René Metge, co-founder of the Africa Eco Race, who passed away a year ago. It will feature varied tracks, traps to avoid, and large dune fields. All eyes are on the leaders and the strategies they’ll adopt to maintain or gain ground. The spirit of the Africa Eco Race remains as vibrant as ever, blending sporting challenges with homage to the golden era of African rallying.
