The Merzouga desert selects the first frontrunners of the rally raid. Tomorrow features 209 km of special stage.
Merzouga (Morocco) – The dust has kicked up and the desert immediately showed its teeth. Stage 1 of the FenekRally Original kicked off the competition with a 262.85 km challenge (206.71 km of special stage), putting crews and vehicles to a severe test. From rolling dunes in the opening kilometers to rocky and uneven tracks in the second part of the stage, high-precision navigation and speed-controlled zones guided the drivers to the finish line, concluding a highly selective debut.
Stage 1 results
In the MT1 class, Frenchman Tom Deest (#119) took the win on a Kove 450 Rally (3h07’12”), followed just 1’45” behind by Josep Pedró Subirats (#115) (3h08’57”) and Arnau Lledó (#121) of Pedregà Team (3h09’46”). In MT2, Marc Calmet (#122) (Pedregà Team) dominated aboard his KTM EXC500F in 3h10’45”, ahead of the Dueruote Racing Team duo on Kawasaki KLE500s: Andrea Gava (#118) (3h43’49”) and Carlo Pettinato (#117) (4h51’42”).
In the T1 category, the crew of Richard Gonzalez and Frank Maldonado (Sodicars Racing) claimed victory at the wheel of their BRP/Can-Am X3, taking top spot on the podium with a time of 5h32’57”. Among the T2 prototypes, the fastest time belonged to Sergio Simon Macho and Ivan Rodriguez Villarubia (Oregon), who crossed the finish line in 6h35’22” in a Mitsubishi Montero.
In the T3 class, victory went to crew #302 Raf Henri Herman and Daniel Camara (GPR Sport) in a GPR 24, setting the winning time of 3h27’25”. Well behind them, Philippe Severac and Michel Navarro (Severac Racing) secured second place in a Segway SX20 (5h42’38”), while Felix Plaza and Raul Bota (Bemar Team) completed the podium aboard their BRP/Can-Am X3 MMP.
In the T4 category, the best time was set by Michael Dordain and Olivier Molière (Mica) in a BRP/Can-Am Maverick X3, reaching the finish line in 3h38’27”. Trailing by just over four minutes were Abel Montoya Caparros and Pedro Caparros Garcia (Tece4x4), also in a BRP/Can-Am Maverick X3 (3h42’46”), while Jose Luis Fernandez Jimenez and Antonio Maldonado (Casasmobiles.es) completed the podium, stopping the clock at 3h53’02” in their CFMOTO Z10.
In the Overland category, an exciting five-way tie unfolded: no fewer than five crews finished tied on 159 points. The protagonists of this ex aequo were Jan Pot and Jessie Soraya Mulder (Pot Racing) in a Polaris Turbo R; Christian and Monika Beyeler (Sand & Gears) aboard a Land Rover Defender 300 Tdi 110; rider Filippo Franzini (Motor Team Birrone) on a Honda CRF 450 RX Rally; and two crews from Penya Iriki: Joan Canamasas Purtì with Joan Canamasas Jimenez in a Nissan Patrol, and Llorenc Mas Lazaro with Jordi Llussa Torra in an Isuzu DMAX 3.0.
Competitor statements
#119 Tom Deest (MT1 – Kove 450 Rally – Pays Basque Aventures/Kove Biarritz): “It was a super tight race right from the start, chasing the dust trail of a Josep Pedro in top form. Between fast tracks, dunes, and an extremely technical second half full of rocks and pitfalls, the real turning point came right at the end. Facing a fork in the road and a different choice from my opponent, I decided to trust my gut rather than follow him. The GPS proved me right just steps from the finish line, giving me a final overtake that sums up the pure magic of rally racing.”
#120 Ignas Daunoravicius (MT1 – KTM Rally Replica – OVOKO Racing): “Stage 1 went really well: I kept my pace, enjoyed it, and maintained the speed I wanted. Despite getting overtaken a few times and having a bit of bad luck on the dunes, it was a positive day. The tricky navigation even allowed me to make up a few spots. Now the bike won’t start—I think due to a dead battery—but luckily I crossed the finish line before that happened. Stage 1 done, great overall outcome!”
#118 Andrea Gava (MT2 – Kawasaki KLE500 – Dueruote Racing Team): “Stage 1 in the books! It was a long, full day: fast tracks, rocks, mule trails, and tricky dunes that tested both riding and navigation. After a push at the start, I preferred to manage my pace to reach the evening with my head clear, energy left, and bike intact. Stunning landscapes and a flawless machine: now a quick routine check and then ready for the coming days!”
#302 Raf Henri Herman/Daniel Camara (T3 – GPR 24 – GPR Sport): “First stage done and won! It was a fantastic day, starting with 8 kilometers of low dunes and soft sand in places. Then the terrain became rockier, but less than expected, allowing us to maintain a solid pace.”
#404 Abel Montoya Caparros/Pedro Caparros Garcia (T4 – BRP/Can-Am Maverick X3 – Tece 4×4): “Today’s stage was pretty tough due to the lots of stones. We cleared the Ouzina dunes really well and, all in all, it was a great experience. Now, focus on tomorrow.”
Stage two: the route
The FenekRally Original challenge continues tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15, with stage 2: 209 km of highly technical special stage await the competitors. The route includes sandy riverbeds, off-piste tracks, and demanding dunes right from the start, before entering a treacherous navigation puzzle of parallel tracks and rocky passages leading back to the bivouac.
