AFRICA ECO RACE: Aprilia v Yamaha scrap heats up in Africa Eco Race

Words AER.

Images by AlessioCorradini and Jorge Cunha, courtesy AER.

The thrilling duel between Aprilia and Yamaha continues in the early stage of the Africa Eco Race.

Stage four victory goes to Botturi (Yamaha), who regains the lead in the overall standings.

The 4th stage of the Africa Eco Race took competitors from Touizgui to Laâyoune, marking a spectacular southwest descent.

This 499 km route, including 486 km of special stage, offered one of the most impressive Moroccan stages of this edition.

The vast desert expanses, interspersed with dunes and camel grass, presented a real technical challenge for participants.

Navigation, crucial in this featureless terrain, proved decisive in each category.

The battle at the top between Yamaha and Aprilia intensified.

Alessandro Botturi (Yamaha) delivered a strong performance, finishing in 5:24:36, closely followed by Jacopo Cerutti (Aprilia), less than 3 minutes behind. Norwegian Pål Anders Ullevålseter (KTM) took third place, more than 24 minutes back.

This third-place finish marked a strong comeback for Ullevålseter, the 2016 event winner, who is aiming to disrupt the Italian rivalry.

Alessandro Botturi said: “It was a long and tough stage, but I’m back in the lead ahead of Jacopo, so today’s strategy and navigation worked well. It’s been a good day.”

Pål Anders Ullevålseter commented: “An excellent day for me, but the last 100 kilometers were very tough, with complicated navigation. This is an area where, if you get lost, you can stay lost for a long time, with no landmarks at all. I didn’t get lost, but I had to slow down and focus to ensure proper navigation.”

In the overall standings, Botturi takes the lead with just 1’28 ahead of Cerutti. Ullevålseter moves into the top three, 1h34 behind the leader.

Notably, the provisional podium brings together three former Africa Eco Race winners: Cerutti (2023), Botturi (2020, 2019), and Ullevålseter (2016, 2015), highlighting the experience and skill of these competitors.

Stage 4 was a snapshot of what makes the Africa Eco Race so magical: breathtaking landscapes, varied terrain, and fierce competition.

As the rally continues its descent southward, suspense remains high in all categories.

Competitors now head to Dakhla with a 629 km stage, including 431 km of special, featuring sandy but fast tracks.

The following day will offer a well-deserved rest day, dedicated to mechanical maintenance and physical recovery before tackling Mauritania in the second week of racing.

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