AFRICA ECO RACE: Solid start for Aprilia in Africa Eco Race

Words and images courtesy Aprilia

The Aprilia Tuareg Racing Team is off to a brilliant start in the 2025 edition of the Africa Eco Race.

After the traditional procession in Monte- Carlo, the race began officially on Tuesday, 31 December, from Tangier, with defending champion Jacopo Cerutti dominating the first of the 12 scheduled stages.

The opening stage consisted in a 755 km route, including 47 km of timed sections – brief but demanding – on a sandy track which was rather treacherous in some sections.

The route took the riders to the first bivouac in Tarda, at the gates to the desert, after crossing the Middle Atlas.

Astride his Aprilia Tuareg Rally, Jacopo Cerutti finished the opening stage ahead of the rest, confirming a promising performance with the goal of defending his 2024 title.

The Africa Eco Race reigning champion, Cerutti, finished in overall first place with a 55-second advantage. Francesco Montanari finished tenth overall at a gap of +8’46’’, whereas new-entry, Marco Menichini, making his Tuareg Rally début in the Under-25 category, finished the stage twelfth overall at a gap of +9’54”.

The Aprilia Tuareg Rally, developed in collaboration with the Guareschi brother’s GCorse, is proving once again to be highly competitive.

With the results of this stage, the Tuareg confirms that it is a versatile bike, capable of adapting to any type of terrain, following the trail of success blazed in 2024 during its first appearance in the Africa Eco Race.

Jacopo Cerutti said: “It was a short but intense stage. I was able to keep a good pace without making any mistakes and the first victory came. The bike gave me great sensations in these sandy conditions. It was important to stay at the front from day one. The second stage will be very long, but we will continue to give our best and defend the overall lead”.

On the second stage, from Targa to Tagounite, Team Aprilia Tuareg Racing put in a solid and convincing performance, with Jacopo Cerutti and Francesco Montanari taking second and third place overall respectively.

The stage, about 358 km long, was the first true step into the desert, with sand and the first dunes to cross, along with increased navigational difficulty. The riders headed towards Tagounite, where they had to tackle a combination of fast and tricky tracks typical of this desert.

Jacopo Cerutti, defending champion and winner of the first stage, started first and maintained a solid pace, finishing second overall, just +2’52’’ behind the stage winner.

Behind him was Francesco Montanari, who demonstrated significant improvement in the second stage, taking the third place overall at a +32’47’’ behind the leader. New-entry, Marco Menichini, also put in a good performance, finishing sixth overall at +40’33’’.

Cerutti said: “The second stage went well. I started well, blazing the trail, which is extremely complicated with this navigation. It rained over the last few days and that makes the trails hard to see, so it is rather demanding. In any case, I did really well despite a few mistakes around the hundredth kilometre which allowed the rider behind me to get close. The third stage will be even longer, but I’m confident because I have an outstanding feeling with the bike.”

Montanari added: “The second stage went well; I navigated well. I started off fine, trying not to make any mistakes and to maintain a good pace for the entire day and, in the end, it paid off with the third-place overall position. I’m happy with the bike. My team has done a great job, and I was able to do well thanks to them as well.”

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