Voices from the bivouac and the schedule for day 3
Merzouga (Morocco) – The second day of FenekRally Original 2026 hit its stride with a high-adrenaline stage. Along the 209-kilometer special stage around the breathtaking backdrop of Merzouga, competitors faced a varied and demanding course right from the start. Between golden dunes and sandy riverbeds, the race turned into a test of pure navigation—a true labyrinth of tracks and rocks where every compass decision made the difference, pushing drivers and riders to the limit before a well-earned return to the bivouac.
Stage classifications: today’s times
In the MT1 class, Ignas Daunoravicius (#120) took victory on his KTM Rally Replica, crossing the finish line in 3h37’21”. He was followed by Arnau Lledó (#121) aboard a KTM 450 EXC-F, with Ricardo Iglesias Cartón (#107) placing third on a KTM 450 Rally. The MT2 category saw Marc Calmet (#122) top the standings on his KTM 500 EXC-F, setting the fastest overall time of the day in 3h36’46”. The class podium was rounded out by the Dueruote Racing Team, placing Andrea Gava (#118) second and Carlo Pettinato (#117) third.
In the T1 category, the top spot on the podium went to Christian Remond Kobloth in a Ford, stopping the clock at 7h37’01”. Among T2 vehicles, the crew of Sergio Simon Macho and Ivan Rodriguez Villarubia (#201) claimed victory. Finally, T3 saw victory go to Raf Henri Herman and Daniel Camara (GPR Sport) aboard the GPR 24 with a time of 3h46’11”, ahead of Philippe Severac and Michel Navarro in a Segway SX20, and the pairing of Felix Plaza and Raul Bota in a BRP/Can-Am X3 MMP.
In the T4 category, victory went to the crew of Jaume Marcos Tillo and Zetta Marcos Ferrer, bringing their BRP/Can-Am Maverick X3 across the line in 4h04’58”. The podium was completed by David Bernard Fletcher and Laura Patricia Harris in second on a Polaris RZR PRO XP, followed in third by Michael Dordain and Olivier Molière, also aboard a BRP/Can-Am Maverick X3.
In the Overland class, four crews tied for first place with 150 points each: André Trilling and Jolanda de Jong (Yamaha YXZ 1000 R), Christian Beyeler and Monika Beyeler-Rohrbach (Land Rover Defender 300 Tdi 110), Filippo Franzini (Honda CRF450 RX Rally), and Llorenç Mas Lázaro with Jordi Llussà Torra (Isuzu D-Max 3.0).
Quotes from the competitors
#121 Arnau Lledó (MT1 – KTM 450EXCF – Pedrega Team): “Day two done and second stage in the books. I’m really happy; I’m getting back into the rhythm after seven months without racing in the desert with a roadbook. Everything went well and I’m satisfied: steady progress, no getting lost, and really fun dunes. We rode in a group of three and it was great fun; towards the end, I pushed solo and broke trail. I’m continuing to learn while keeping errors to a minimum, so I’m very happy.”
#108 Alexandre Bolf Pierre (MT1 – Fantic XEF450 Rally – Les Fanatic): “Today was a fantastic stage! We set off this morning into dunes and plenty of soft sand that let us through without trouble. Next came long navigation through a wadi before continuing onto fast, occasionally rough tracks. Overall, an awesome day.”
#118 Andrea Gava (MT2 – Kawasaki KLE500 – Dueruote Racing Team): “Stage 2 secured! Today brought the first real dunes of the rally. I struggled a bit at first to find my rhythm, but then I managed to pick up the pace. Another very long day: over 200 km of special stage and nearly 280 km in total. It’s scorching hot here now—it’s 12:50 PM (1:50 PM in Italy)—and I can’t wait to take off my helmet and cool down.”
#406 Michael Dordain / Olivier Molière (T4 – BRP/Can-Am Maverick X3 – Mica): “Second special stage of FenekRally complete: today we had about 280 kilometers with a beautiful, varied special through dunes, villages, and palm groves—truly spectacular. It went very well. The dunes were a bit tough this morning, but we had a blast surrounded by breathtaking scenery. No mechanical issues, the tires held up great, and both suspension and mechanics performed wonderfully. It was a very fast stage with smooth sections, but also huge amounts of dust. I think the bikers suffered quite a bit today; our thoughts go out to them.”
#407 Jose Luis Fernandez Jimenez / Antonio Maldonado (T4 – CFMOTO Z10 – Casasmobiles.es): “There was a bit of confusion, stopped cars, and we had to dodge a few bikes, but we managed well and had a lot of fun. It was a super fast stage, pure push and navigation. We also encountered some hidden waypoints that took a bit of effort to validate, but in the end, it all went smoothly—got them all. We had a great time, and the main thing is that we’re here at the finish line.”
Stage 3 schedule
The third stage of FenekRally, scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, is the longest of the 2026 edition, totaling 321.78 km, including 235.76 km of special stage. Following a 35 km road section, the action starts immediately with parallel tracks, short off-piste sections, and the first speed-controlled zones, alongside a tricky “danger 3” at km 50 for a road intersection. Next comes 60 km of pure navigation across dunes and sandy riverbeds leading to a mandatory 30-minute refueling stop at km 108. The second half serves as a test of endurance through rocky terrain, broken tracks, and several “danger 3” hazards up to km 199, where the trail turns fast again toward the finish line at km 236, preceding the final 51 km road section.
