The 2025 edition of the Africa Eco Race comes to a close, with Jacopo Cerutti and the Aprilia Tuareg Racing Team the absolute protagonists of an exciting competition, which remained open until the last special. The second consecutive title crowns an unforgettable edition, concluded with the final catwalk on the shore of Lake Rosa.
The 16th edition of the Africa Eco Race covered almost 6000km, crossing the breathtaking scenery of Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal. A grueling route that put riders and vehicles to the test, confirming the level of excellence of the Aprilia Tuareg Rally. The last stage led the participants on a final transfer to the shores of the legendary Pink Lake, marking the triumphant conclusion of this extraordinary 2025 edition.
Jacopo Cerutti faced the race with the determination and talent of a champion, overcoming incredible challenges: from complex navigation to treacherous terrain, from physical difficulties to unexpected technical problems, such as the problem with the rear tire mousse and the non-functioning navigation instrument. Despite everything, Cerutti defended the title until the last kilometre, taking five stage victories and two additional podiums, confirming his extraordinary feeling with the Aprilia Tuareg Rally.
Francesco Montanari concluded the 2025 edition in continuous growth, demonstrating exceptional maturity. His first stage victory at the Africa Eco Race, combined with three overall podiums, is the seal of an excellent performance, confirming him among the protagonists of the African rally.
Marco Menichini, making his debut with the Tuareg, took victory in the Junior class reserved for Under 25s and third place in the multi-cylinder class, adding another success to the Aprilia Tuareg Racing Team’s list of victories in the Africa Eco Race. His performance, culminating in sixth place in the general classification, represents a result to remember.
With the second consecutive title and the successes achieved by all the riders, the Aprilia Tuareg Rally confirms itself as the absolute reference in the great rally raids. The symbolic image of this edition is the arrival on the rim at the finish line of the sixth stage, due to a problem with the tire mousse: the demonstration of a practically unstoppable bike.
Developed in collaboration with GCorse of the Guareschi brothers, the Tuareg Rally has made a significant step forward in the set-up compared to last year, also confirmed thanks to the collaboration with Metzeler, once again consolidating its qualities of versatility, reliability and performance in an extreme context like that of the Africa Eco Race.
A special thanks to Team Guareschi for their tireless work and to all our partners who made this dream possible: Metzeler, SC Project, Acerbis, RK Chain, Jet Prime, Alpina, Andreani and CHT Chiaravalli.
JACOPO CERUTTI
“An edition that ended in the best possible way, despite the difficulties we were able to overcome. I drove well, making few mistakes, I didn’t have any falls, and I managed to stay focused. We had a great advantage on the sand, both in terms of driving and in terms of the performance of the Tuareg Rally, and I managed to make the most of it. It was an edition in which management was fundamental and, in the last two days, I accomplished something that I didn’t think was possible. When I saw that I could run away in the dunes, I believed in it and I tried 100%. I’m also really happy for my teammates, Cecco and Marco, who were great. A huge thank you to all the members of the team, who proved to be super dedicated to the cause and were fundamental to this victory, providing me with a highly competitive Tuareg Rally. Congratulations also to Alessandro Botturi, it was great to have an opponent like him and to be able to fight until the end.”
FRANCESCO MONTANARI
“I am really satisfied with this 2025 edition. The first week I was always there in front, it was exciting, and I gained a lot of experience. Subsequently, with the most difficult stages, I faced challenges that taught me a lot. In the end, the victory came in the eighth stage, a perfect day in which I navigated well without making mistakes. The credit for these results goes to everyone, not just to me who am in the saddle, but to the entire team, which did an incredible job. Congratulations to Jacopo who had two truly extraordinary last days, in which he managed to recover the gap from his direct rival. A round of applause also to Marco for his excellent results.”
MARCO MENICHINI
“It was a very exciting edition. My race started uphill, with a fall on the first day, fortunately without consequences, and I was not 100 per cent due to a virus. However, it was a crescendo, especially in the second week in Mauritania. I owe a lot to Team Guareschi who did an incredible job. The Tuareg Rally is fantastic, I had a great time. In the end, I finished with a sixth place overall, first Junior and third in the multi-cylinder, I am really satisfied with the final result. A big compliment also goes to my teammates.”
VITTORIANO GUARESCHI
“We are really happy with how this 2025 edition went. It is a result that confirms how strong our team and the Tuareg Rally are. The guys gave their all and Jacopo proved once again to be an extraordinary champion, facing every difficulty with great determination. Cecco made an incredible leap in quality, while Marco, in his debut with the Tuareg, proved to have great talent.”
