Yamaha Ténéré rider on top as delayed rally finally gets underway, Paulin 6th
Delayed rally finally gets underwayAfter a chaotic, weather-ravaged opening to the 2026 Africa Eco Race, the rally finally got rolling on Stage 2 — and it was Alessandro Botturi who stamped his authority early, taking a convincing stage win aboard the Ténéré 700 Rally.
Extreme conditions in northern Morocco forced organisers to cancel the Prologue, Official Start and Stage 1, with torrential rain, high winds and even snow sweeping through Tangier and the Atlas Mountains. Despite the lack of racing, competitors were still required to complete an arduous 800km liaison to reach the first bivouac at Bousaid — a demanding start in itself.
Stage 2 marked the first competitive kilometres of the event, though even then organisers were forced to shorten the special by nearly 200km due to weather damage. The revised route still delivered a proper rally test, combining fast rocky tracks with sections of Merzouga dunes, all complicated by multiple last-minute roadbook amendments. From Bousaid, riders raced through the shortened special before a liaison run into Tagounite.
Starting second on the road, Botturi wasted little time reeling in his rivals. Drawing on his extensive rally experience — and still mindful of losing last year’s Africa Eco Race by just 26 seconds — the Italian controlled the stage to claim victory in 2h24m04s. The result handed him an early advantage of 2m10s in the overall standings.
For teammate Gautier Paulin, Stage 2 marked a significant milestone. The former MXGP star and five-time MXoN winner was contesting his first Africa Eco Race special stage on a motorcycle, having won the event’s car category in 2024. Still adapting to rally raid navigation, Paulin delivered a solid and measured ride to finish sixth, just over seven minutes behind Botturi.
Yamaha’s presence was felt throughout the top ten, with Ténéré Spirit Experience rider Kevin Gallas securing third place. Fellow TSE riders Mike Wiedemann and Antonio Maio finished seventh and tenth respectively, giving Yamaha six bikes inside the top ten and underlining the depth of the Ténéré contingent.
Stage 3 ramps things up significantly, featuring a 440km special across the Chegaga dunes, the vast plains of Lake Iriki and fast rocky terrain, followed by a liaison to the Assa bivouac — the first truly full-length test of the rally.
Alessandro Botturi – P1 – 2h24m04s
“It was great to finally get started after the cancellations. Today’s stage was reduced to about half its length due to damage from the extreme weather, but it was still tough, and the navigation was tricky. I am delighted to secure the stage win and open up a lead in the general classification. The bike performed perfectly, and I felt great, so I am already looking forward to Stage 3.”
Gautier Paulin – P6 – 2h31m13s
“Honestly, it was great to get started. This is my first Africa Eco Race on a motorbike, and I am still learning rally raid, so finishing in sixth, only seven minutes behind Alessandro, was a solid start. The navigation for this stage was tricky, as they had to make many changes to the roadbook due to the weather. As I am still learning the navigational skills needed at this level, I had to focus more on that than on going fast, which was a bit frustrating. Hopefully, on the next stage, there won’t be as many changes, and I will be able to attack more. The bike was great, it was amazing surfing through the dunes, and I am excited for the next stage.”
Africa Eco Race Stage 2
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A. Botturi (YAM) — 2:24:04
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J-L. Lepan (KTM) — +2:10
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K. Gallas (YAM) — +2:17
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J. Cerutti (APR) — +2:36
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T. Marini (HUS) — +5:06
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G. Paulin (YAM) — +7:09
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M. Wiedemann (YAM) — +11:44
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N. Sainct (KTM) — +13:02
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F. Montanari (APR) — +16:49
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A. Maio (YAM) — +16:57
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B. Gavard (YAM) — +21:29
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Van Pelt (HUS) — +22:16
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A. Baratin (KTM) — +22:40
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V. Sertilhanges (KTM) — +24:28
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M. Bottino (KOV) — +24:59
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M. Gird (HUS) — +26:34
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S. Antonello (KOV) — +27:40
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M. Menechini (APR) — +30:24
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H. Dovland (KTM) — +31:07
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N. Charlier (YAM) — +32:48
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S. Dogliotti (KOV) — +36:49
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B. Wolters (HUS) — +38:23
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L. Fokkema (HUS) — +38:51
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S. Savelkouls (HUS) — +39:55
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F. Lottero (KTM) — +40:04
Africa Eco Race Overall
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A. Botturi (YAM) — 2:24:04
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J-L. Lepan (KTM) — +2:10
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K. Gallas (YAM) — +2:17
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J. Cerutti (APR) — +2:36
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T. Marini (HUS) — +5:06
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G. Paulin (YAM) — +7:09
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M. Wiedemann (YAM) — +11:44
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N. Sainct (KTM) — +13:02
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F. Montanari (APR) — +16:49
