january 03, 2024 - Yamaha Racing
Strong Start for Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team in Africa Eco Race
The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team, in partnership with Riders for Health, began the Africa Eco Race in some style as they secured a double podium after Alessandro Botturi finished the opening stage of the rally in second overall and his teammate Pol Tarrés in third, with just three seconds separating the duo.
The 15th edition of the Africa Eco Race (AER), which sees competitors retrace the original 1970s routes of the legendary Paris-Dakar rally, began with two days of technical checks and scrutineering in the French town of Menton before the official start ceremony that took place in Monaco on the 30th of December.
After the ceremony, teams and riders travelled 400km to the port of Seté before boarding a boat to Nador in Morocco for the beginning of the race in earnest. Arriving on the 2nd of January, competitors embarked from the boat and immediately set off for Stage 1.
The opening stage consisted of a 185km liaison from Nador to the start of the 174km special before another 238km liaison to the first bivouac in Boudnib. The first special took a fast and flowing route over rocky mountain passes and trails, allowing competitors to adapt to the event roadbook and settle into the rally routine, with longer and more demanding stages set to follow.
The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team created history during the last edition of the AER, and Botturi and Tarrés immediately hit the ground running in Morocco as they returned their GYTR-kitted Ténéré World Rally bikes to their spiritual African roots. Botturi and Tarrés are racing on their production-based adventure bikes within the multi-cylinder 700cc class, which features a much more competitive field in 2024, while also competing against the single-cylinder 450cc prototype machines.
Experienced Italian Botturi, who won the 2019 and 2020 versions of the AER, used his navigation expertise to settle into a superb rhythm at the front despite leading off the riders. Starting as the lead bike can often lead to navigational issues due to the fact you do not have another rider to follow, and with the fast nature of the stage, it would have been easy for the 48-year-old to lose swathes of time. Instead, he managed the situation superbly, powering to second overall and also second in class, with a time of one hour, 55 minutes and 56 seconds, just one minute and 47 seconds behind the winner.
His teammate Tarrés, who became the first person to complete the entire AER on a twin-cylinder adventure bike when it was last held in 2022, showcased his potential once more as the Andorran put on a tactical masterclass. Wary of finishing first and having to lead out the much trickier second stage, yet conscious of not wanting to concede too much time, the 30-year-old controlled his pace brilliantly despite a minor crash that saw him unhurt and able to remount immediately. He finished the special just three seconds behind his teammate in third overall and third in class, with a time of one hour, 55 minutes and 59 seconds.
This leaves Botturi and Tarrés in the perfect position for day two, starting second and third, respectively. Wednesday’s action commences with an 11km liaison to the start of a 383km special stage that will see riders take on a little bit of everything. The route features rocky passes, gravel tracks, and sandy sections, plus it will also see riders take on the first dunes of the rally, before a final 31km liaison to the bivouac in Mhamid.
Alessandro Botturi
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“It was a good opening day. When you lead off a stage, it is never easy. A mistake can be very costly, and the navigation was tricky, but I managed it pretty well. I made a few tiny errors but recovered almost immediately, and it was great to be back racing in Africa. This first stage was a bit of a shakedown, allowing us to get rid of any rustiness, get up to speed, and ensure everything was okay with the bikes. Stage 2 is when it gets a bit more serious. Pol and I are in the perfect position for the second day, and I am looking forward to the first dunes of the rally!”
Pol Tarrés
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“It was a good opening day. Our aim was not to win the special, as it means we have a much better starting position for the second stage, which will be much longer and tougher. Therefore, I needed to manage the pace and am happy with the result. I had a small crash, but I am okay, and the bike is fine. We are in a great position already, and I look forward to Stage 2!”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“The first day featured some tricky navigational sections, especially as it was so fast and flowing, but both riders did a great job. Pol had a very minor crash, but he recovered superbly, while Alessandro showed his experience to lead off the stage without any issues. For them both to finish three seconds apart after 174km of racing shows how consistent they were today. It was important to get a good start, and we could not have wished for anything better. Both riders are in the perfect position for Wednesday’s action.”
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