A 330-kilometer ride through lightning-fast tracks, stony ground, and soft sand dunes determines the day’s winners
Erfoud (Morocco), May 26, 2026. The Moroccan desert spares no one. The second stage of the FenekRally Spring 2026 has already delivered its first, harsh verdicts. A challenging route of 330 total kilometres, based at the Hotel Chergui, put drivers and vehicles to a severe test under the aegis of the Royal Moroccan Federations.
The crews challenged the clock on a 213-kilometer special stage characterized by unpredictable terrain: 84% dirt, 9% sand, 6% stones, and 1% of dunes as spectacular as they were treacherous. The first part of the route alternated lightning-fast tracks with speed-controlled zones. After the mandatory refueling at kilometre 126, the race turned into a pure test of endurance through stony areas and the climbing of the dune cord, before closing on almost invisible tracks that highlighted the work of the navigators. A final transport section of 85 kilometers brought the caravan back to the bivouac, closing an impeccable day managed on the safety front by Territori 4×4.
The day’s verdicts and category winners.
The race delivered great excitement across all categories. Among the two wheels (MT1), Frenchman Geoffroy Lemercier shone on his KTM, setting an excellent pace and taking the victory with a time of 3h54’24”. In the four-wheel section, the T1 category saw the success of Remy Chapot and Johan Bourgeoir of Team Chap’s aboard their BMC, while in T2, the Spanish crew of Cartagena Panda Racing prevailed at the wheel of a Toyota FJ.
An excellent performance in light vehicles (T4) came from Eric Rohner and Diego Terre Menendez of Team Mas Vale Tarde, who claimed the top step of the podium on a Polaris XP Pro Ultimate in 4h21’17”. Finally, the Overland category crowned Team Amnezia on Toyota, closely followed in order by Team Landquad on Arctic Cat, Jackal Racing on Toyota, and the Kove motorcycle of Frenchman Pascal Peinturier (YEP).
Voices from the bivouac
Adolfo Hidalgo Dominguez (KTM, #107) – MT1 (4h51’05”): “The terrain today was extremely varied and the landscapes beautiful. The only real difficulty was the time we entered the dune cord: the flat light made it hard to read the reliefs on the very soft sand. Other than that, the organization is proving to be exceptional.”
Diego Terre Menendez, co-driver (Polaris, #402) – 1st place T4 (4h21’17”): “A spectacular day where we enjoyed every single kilometre. We experienced a perfect alternation between fast sections, where we could admire the view, and technical sectors that required maximum concentration. Hats off to the FenekRally staff.”
Maxime Leproust, co-driver (Can-Am, #301) – 1st place T3 (3h49’00”): “Crazy day! In the morning, we discovered that a recalculation of penalties had awarded us the victory of stage 1. In stage 2, after a navigation error and the co-driver’s… dune sickness on the soft sand, we grit our teeth. Keeping up a relentless pace, we overtook several bikes, winning the stage and taking the overall lead. Now, eyes on tomorrow’s stage, where 100 kilometres of continuous dunes await us.”
Stage 3 preview: the challenge continues
The FenekRally does not stop and sets off again immediately with the third leg of the race, scheduled for May 27: a total route of 302 kilometres with start and finish once again in Erfoud. The timed special stage will be a solid 240 kilometres, consisting mainly of dirt, sand, and dunes. The true testing grounds for the competitors will be the off-track driving in the sand rivers and navigation through the roughest sectors. The battle in the desert is hotter than ever.
