Van 25 augustus t/m 31 augustus wordt de 2018 editie verreden van de Serres Rally. Een uitdagende en afwisselende rally, op hoog niveau georganiseerd. Van der Velden Motoren biedt transport en service aan en heeft nog een paar plaatsen vrij!  De Serres Rally is open voor motoren, quads en SSV’s, maar is een echte enduro rally. Er wordt alleen op roadbook gereden, zonder gps. De actieradius moet 150 kilometer zijn. De routes zijn heel divers, en technisch zeer uitdagend. Gravel, stenen, zand, modder, doorwadingen, single tracks, een marathon etappe, werkelijk alles zit erin. Met een professionele tijdwaarneming, goed tracking systeem, nauwkeurige roadbooks, een zeer ervaren organisatie en een hele scherpe prijs biedt de Serres Rally zeer veel waar voor je geld. Dit jaar o.a. met Dakar 2019 deelnemers Wesly Pittens, Paul Spierings, Martien Jimmink en Marcel Piek. De voorlopige deelnemerslijst Tot 1 juli kun je nog gebruik maken van het tarief van 900,- euro. Daar komen de kosten voor de accomodatie, maaltijden, brandstof en een licentie nog bij. Van der Velden Motoren is al jaren actief in de wereld van de rally-raids met een professioneel team. Iedere dag wordt je motor goed bijgehouden en kun je beschikken over de best mogelijke faciliteiten en voorzieningen. Het team weet wat er vereist is om jou zonder zorgen maximaal te laten genieten. Meer weten? Neem dan contact op met Bart van der Velden.  E-mail: info@veldenmotoren.nlOf bel: 06 412 66 324

Afgelopen weekend konden rally raid liefhebbers hun hart ophalen tijdens de ELE-rally. De ELE-rally, welke voorheen alleen voor de ‘gewone’ straat rally equipes was had tijdens deze 54e editie een nieuwe toevoeging. “Wie dacht dat het ELE-weekend niet completer kon, komt dit jaar bedrogen uit. We doen er gewoon nóg een schepje bovenop!”, lacht ELE-wedstrijdleider Radboud van Hoek. Vijftien deelnemers uit het NK Offroad Racing stonden vrijdag aan de start in Veldhoven. Rick Aarts finishte als 2e overall achter Joost Hofmans, en won de T1 klasse: “Vooraf wist ik niet zo goed te verwachten, maar achteraf ben ik blij dat ik gegaan ben. Het was erg leuk. We hebben twee dagen de tijd gehad om de routes te verkennen. Het evenement is goed georganiseerd, en met zo’n 15.000 toeschouwers is ook de belangstelling gewoon hartstikke goed. Er zat nog redelijk wat onverhard in, maar de remmen hadden het zwaar te verduren op het asfalt. Ondanks de speciale remblokken en andere remvloeistof die bestand is tegen temperaturen tot 360 graden. We reden allemaal op slicks of wegbanden, dat is een eis. Joost met zijn buggy kan ik onder dit soort omstandigheden nooit bijhouden. Dave (Klaassen red.) maakte een navigatiefout, wat hem kansloos maakte voor een topklassering. In de laatste twee proeven heb ik het iets rustiger aangedaan, omdat het motorblok dit soort omstandigheden niet zo fijn vindt en flink te lijden had. Ik verwacht niet dat ik naar de Baja Breslau ga, want er is nog wel wat werk te doen en de tijd is nog maar kort.’’ NTA-voorzitter, en deelnemer, Eelco Bekker heeft het flink naar zijn zin gehad. “Onze auto’s zijn natuurlijk niet gemaakt om op asfalt te rijden, en dat breng soms flink kapriolen met zich mee.” Net als bij Rick Aarts heeft ook de auto van Bekker het zwaar te verduren gehad. “Onze auto’s zijn toch een 1000 kilo zwaarder, en dat gewicht moeten we wel tot stilstand krijgen bij een bocht” Naast de remmen hadden ook de banden hadden het zwaar. Bekker reed op dezelfde soort band als waarop hij afgelopen Dakar reed, maar het profiel aan de zijkant en de wangen zijn behoorlijk afgesleten. “De organisatie van de ELE-rally staat als een huis en ik denk dat alle offroad rijders het naar hun zin hebben gehad. We hebben het publiek flink kunnen vermaken” De nummer een van de eerste dag, Dave Klaassen en Tessa Rooth, hadden een geweldig eerste dag. En dat ondanks de fout in de eerste proef waar zij een ronde te weinig reden. “We reden verkeerd achter een ander te proef uit terwijl we eigenlijk nog een ronde hadden gemoeten” verteld navigator Tessa Rooth. Aan het einde van de dag stond de equipe van Klaassen 24 seconden voor op Rick Aarts. Op zaterdag ging het helaas mis, bij een Y-splitsing namen zij de verkeerde afslag en kwamen daarbij een deelnemer uit een andere klasse tegen welke zij voor moesten laten. Hierdoor waren zij het ritme kwijt en maakte achter de andere deelnemer nogmaals een navigatiefout waardoor ze te vroeg bij de finish waren. Maar al met al hebben ook zij het naar hun zin gehad, “Voor de rest hebben we echt supersnel gereden” sluit Rooth haar reactie af. In november staat de laatste wedstrijden van het eb-NK Offroad Racing op de kalender. De Baja Borgen zal plaatsvinden op 3 en 4 november.

In the extreme heat of the Xinjiang province, the crew  Han Wei/Liao Min won its first victory in 2018 Taklimakan Rally. The Geely Auto Coopertires team let the first place of the overall classification to its rival BAIC. Shi Yong took advantage of the bad fortune of the other riders to win the stage in motorbikes category. STAGE 2 : SHANSHAN > SHANSHAN : 390,74 km | Liaison : 52,93 km | SS : 297,75 km | Liaison : 40,06 km With some fast tracks, an oued and many dunes crossing, this second stage of 2018 Taklimakan Rally, designed around Shanshan, offered to competitors a varied route. The high temperatures, approaching 50°C on the tracks, made the stage even a bit harder. The driver-manufacturer Han Wei offers a second win in a row to his team Geely Auto Coopertires, his first personal victory. The yellow buggies claim a one-two finish thanks to Liu Kun/Wu Dajun, but let the lead of the overall classification to the BAIC of Liu Yangui/Pan Hongyu. Christian Lavieille/Jean-Pierre Garcin aimed to put things right after the first stage they finished below their expectations. The French duo finishes fourth, just behind their BAIC teamates  Binglong Lu/He Sha. In the motorbike category, Shi Yong on his KTM won the second stage after an uniformly perfect day. Armand Monleón encountered problems with the functioning of his GPS. But, thanks to his teamate Zhaker Yakefu, the Spanish rider achieved to reach the finish line without losing much time. The French Eric Schiano finished eighth. His performance is encouraging after his crash during stage 1. Tomorrow, on tuesday June 5th, the service teams will stay in Shanshan bivouac while the racing vehicles will take part into a second loop of 426,8 kilometers long. Navigation will be the key factor to make a good performance during the stage 3 of 2018 Taklimakan Rally. Live from Shanshan biviouac (Xinjiang / China) Cars Han Wei (CHN/Geely) | 1st in stage 2 / 3rd in overall“Today’s stage was pretty difficult but we managed to handle it. Everything went well! I started the sixth and was the fourth to reach the finish. Our pace was very good. It is our first victory in 2018 Taklimakan Rally. I’m really confident for the next stages.” Binglong Lu (CHN/BAIC) | 3rd in stage 2 / 4th in overall,,The BJ40 had no big problem today. The sound of the radio was just constantly a bit too loud. There are still many desert portions coming soon.  BAIC team is now playing team strategy. So far so good!” Christian Lavieille (FRA/BAIC) | 3rd in stage 2 / 6th in overall”We started 11th and were very quickly in the dust of the other cars. It was very hard to overtake with a strong headwind. Our mechanics have changed our shock absorbers which are now more appropriate for fast tracks like we had today. The team has worked during the whole night and we did not want to bring back a damaged car for the second day in a row. Our goal was to finish the stage in the right place, it’s done!” Rémy Vauthier (CH/Optimus) | 16th in stage 2 / 13th in overall ,,Like yesterday, the scenery was amazing with very beautiful dunes without grass or stone. Chinese drivers are very good. This desert is their playground. Our engine stopped in the sixth gear 5 kilometers after the DSS. Big fright! We made some tests. Luckily, the engine restarted again and we finished the stage without any problem. We lost two or three ranks due to this misadventure.” Bikes Armand Monleón | 2nd in stage 2 / 2nd in overall,,I had a problem with the power supply of my GPS. In the first part, I did my best to keep a right pace while triying to no to make navigation mistake. Then I sticked to my teamate to be sure to follow the right path. In these conditions, my goal was only to reach the finish line. 2018 Taklimakan Rally has seven stages left. Everything can happen.” Eric Schiano (FRA/Zongshen) | 8th in stage 2 / 6th in overall,,Things did not work as I hoped. I had to turn around few kilometers after the DSS to replace my safety device. I had appealed to the organization to count down the time I spent to fix it. The crossing of the dunes was very beautiful. I decided to ride slowly because the racing cars overtook me. My small crash yesterday did not affect my shape. My shoulder is fine!”  

2018 Taklimakan Rally left Ürümqi this morning to reach Shanshan bivouac, located at the north of the Xinjiang province. The winners of yesterday’s prologue had contrasting fortunes during this first stage. Christian Lavieille/Jean-Pierre Garcin lost much time and left the leadership of the rally to Zi Yungang / Wang Zengrong. Zhaker Yakefu took the lead to Armand Monleón, second of the stage, in motorbike category. STAGE 1 : ÜRÜMQI > SHANSHAN : 462,25kmLiaison : 188,95 km | SS : 214,4 km | Liaison : 58,9km This first stage of 462,35 kilometers long between Ürümqi and Shanshan included fast portions in its first part, and a sequence of dunes crossing of 40 kilometers long to reach the finish line. Temperatures above 40° were encountered on the track. In charge to open the route since their victory in the prologue, Christian Lavieille and Jean-Pierre Garcin have been through a difficult first stage. A roll over, without gravity, during a dune crossing cost more than 20 minutes to the french duo of the Run Racing Motorsports team. Victory fall to the crew of the SMG buggy Zi Yungang / Wang Zengrong.  Yangui Liu / Pan Hongyu are the first representatives of BAIC team. The chinese crew finished second of the stage and proved once again they are very comfortable in the sand.  In the bike category, Zhaker Yakefu wins the first stage. The chinese rider launches his 2018 Taklimakan Rally in the best possible way. Only fifth yesterday, he is now leading the overall classification. The Daming KTMR2R Rally team took the second and third ranks with Armand Monleón and Zhang Min. Eric Schiano finished sixth and fell without gravity few kilometers before the finish line. On Monday June 4th, competitors of 2018 Takimakan Rally will compete a first loop around Shanshan. Stage 2 will contain a selective section of 297,75 kilometers long for a total stage of 390,74 kilometers.   Live from the Shanshan bivouac (Xinjiang / China) Cars Binglong Lu (CHN/BAIC) | 4st in stage 1 / 4th in overall,,After kilometers 170, it was all desert landscape, top level difficulty. The surface of the desert is super soft. Our BJ40 works very well and is more powerful than last year. Today is the first special stage of the Taklimakan rally 2018. Most of the competitors do not push yet the cars to the limit, because nobody wants to break the vehicles. Everything is under our control. The plan of the team is to run a steady race.” Han Wei (CHN/Geely) | 6th in stage 1 / 6th in overall,,We lost much time today because of a tyre puncture. A navigation mistake cost us few seconds as well. Apart from that, everything is going well. The car works very well, and the collaboration with my co-drivers is perfect. The race has just begun.” Rémy Vauthier (CH/Optimus) | 9th in stage 1 / 9th in overall,,Good stage for us from start to end. We drove very fast in the first part of the stage, but always with the proper pace. I usually do not feel comfortable in the dunes, but I enjoyed it very much today. This desert is huge, without traps. We even drove a little bit slower to enjoy the landscape. Breathtaking scenery. We are very happy.” Bikes Armand Monleón | 2nd in stage 1 / 2nd in overall“Stage 1 was very difficult. Very fast in its first part, It became more technical when we arrived in the dunes. The navigation was not easy, with very tricky caps and tracks not always visible. Chinese riders are very fast. We are now fully in the competition.”  Pablo Pascual (ARG/Zongshen) | 4th in stage 1 / 4th in overall,,It was a good stage for me. Tracks in China are really amazing. Navigation was very tricky. I decided to not take any risk today. I will keep this pace during the next stages because dunes are too much different of what I usually meet in Argentina.” Eric Schiano (FRA/Zongshen) | 6th in stage 1 / 6th in overall,,Very nice stage today with much off-road navigation. I’m a bit surprised by the road-book which is perfect. I fell down 5 kilometers before the finish line. This is my fault, I was not focused enough. Of course, i will be there for stage 2. I feel OK. Today was a very good day for the team.”    

After the opening ceremony which officially launched the 2018 Taklimakan Rally, 106 vehicles competed in a prologue designed around Ürümqi. Christian Lavieille / Jean-Pierre Garcin in cars, and Armand Monleón in motorbike category, win this short timed portion. They will consequently open the route tomorrow during the stage 1. The prologue of 2018 Taklimakan Rally, 16,02 kilometers long, did not contain any significant difficulties. This first time section was a perfect way to make a first test for the 90 cars/trucks and 16 motorbikes/ATVs which enter the rally. On very dusty and windy tracks, this prologue was mainly an opportunity for competitors to adapt themselves quickly to their vehicles, and revive their competitive spirit.  Christian Lavieille and Jean-Pierre Garcin win the prologue, and will have the hard task to open the route during stage 1. The french crew, 2017 Taklimakan Rally winner, starts the 2018 edition in the best possible way on board of his BAIC BJ40 colored in blue, white and red. The two Toyota Hilux of Longxing team, led by Wang Hai/Chen  Qiongkai and Chen Feng/Wang Yicheng, complete the podium.  The title holder also won the prologue in motorbike category. Armand Monleón on his KTM was the fastest in front of the argentinian Pablo Pascual and the chinese Zhang Min. The fight will be intense during 2018 Taklimakan Rally between the teams Daming KKTMR2R Rally and Zhongshen. The two teams monopolize the four first ranks of the day. Tomorrow, on Sunday June 3rd, 2018 Taklimakan Rally leaves Ürümqi and head North towards Shanshan. This first stage of 462,25 kilometers long, including 214,4 kilometers in selective section, will already be a major test.  Live from the ÜRÜMQI bivouac (XINJIANG / CHINA) Cars Christian Lavieille (FRA/BAIC) 1st in prologue / 1st in overall,,Everything was fine today. We had a good feeling with the cars. We did not take any risk because the prologue was tricky due to many holes on the track. Our goal was to manage our pace to not open the route tomorrow. We finally win the prologue. We are a bit surprised of our ranking.” Han Wei (CHN/Geely) 12th in prologue / 12th in overall,,We did not have any particular problem today. We tried to preserve the cars. Our buggy works very well! Taklimakan Rally is a long and difficult rally.” Rémy Vauthier (CH/Optimus) 23rd in prologue / 23rd in overall,,The prologue did not contain any particular difficulties. We are lucky because we realized that our shock absorbers have a manufacturing defect.  We will change it by tomorrow and replace it by new ones coming from France. The rally did not start yet. This race is very long.” Bikes Armand Monleón (ESP/KTM) 1st in prologue / 1st in overall

Kenderly (Kazakhstan) : Four Minis dominated the classification after the opening 280.35km of competitive action in Rally Kazakhstan, round five of the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, between Aktau City and the Caspian Sea resort of Kenderly on Monday. Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah had been the fastest driver through the opening 90km section of the stage by 12 seconds but his demise with a second successive engine-related issue paved the way for Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi to move into an overnight lead of 2min 04sec in his X-raid MINI John Cooper Works Rally. The Saudi said: “It was a very fast first stage and everything was okay. The first part was fast and smooth and it became more technical on the second part to the beach and then fast to the finish. I started the stage from eighth place and overtook several cars including Nasser and (Boris) Gadasin.” Frenchman Luc Alphand was his closest rival in second place with the new MINI Buggy and FIA World Cup leader Jakub Przygonski held third overall, 2min 38sec further behind, in his MINI John Cooper Works Rally. Przygonski said: “From the first stage we were opening all the day and it was a nice day. We enjoy it. Sometimes there was some tricky navigation but we were trying to push.” “We just have to pass Harry Hunt on the first stage. It was the first stage in Kazakhstan after the break and everyone was a little nervous,” added Alphand. “The navigation was not so easy and it is quite dangerous to overtake in the dust. I hope that Nasser can come back tonight and continue the race. We want to fight with them.” Russian driver Vladimir Vasilyev missed the event in 2017 through injury and he was classified in a solid fourth overall in his MINI Cooper Countryman, while Czech driver Martin Prokop was fifth in a Ford F-150 Evo. Vasilyev’s navigator Konstantin Zhiltsov said: “Everything was okay and we were happy to finish this stage. It is a new race for us. We have to take security. We need to be careful. We treat today like a Prologue.”

Gateway for the central Asia and multicultural capital city of the Xinjiang province, host of the opening and closing ceremony of 2018 Taklimakan Rally. The route, racing cars, bikesand nine stages and two rest days in order to The  will take place at the  on .  Competitors will then get straight to the difficulties during the first stages after a light . They will approach the , one of the lowest exposed point on the Earth’s surface approximatively ,  located on the . No sand yet, but some stages designed in . Competitors will have to be smart in order to not loose any chance of a competitive race after the first third part of the rally.  on June 7th will continue to tire the bodies which should be already well exhausted. The 491 kilometers long of selectives sections, the longest of the rally, will be without any doubt a tough challenge to achieve right before the second rest day2018 Taklimakan Rally will head East towards Hami. The heat waves of stage 6. SCHEDULE OF 2018 TAKLIMAKAN RALLY May 31st – June 1st 

Less than 2 months to start: From June 30th until July 7th the legendary “Rallye Breslau Poland”, founded in 1995, will start again in the north-west of Poland. In this year, the biggest off-road rally in Northern Europe will offer something unique: The Breslau 500 – a rally in the rally! Participants can decide to race only a weekend with around 500 kilometers of pure racing – or one week with approx. 2000 kilometers. The idea was born after the cancellation of the “Baja Deutschland”, which was planned for October 2018. The Breslau 500 features all the good things you know or have heard of the Breslau – and puts them together in a three-day-competition. Breslau 500 starts a day earlier than the full-size Rally Breslau – on Friday the 29th of June and ends on Sunday, 1st of July. The rally is licence-free and open for Motorbikes, Quads, Side-by-Sides (SSV), Cars and Trucks. Licence-free means, everybody with a driving license is allowed to start. The routes for Bikes/Quads and SSV/Cars/Trucks are completely unique and tailored for the specific demands of the classes. They will start either at the same time on different locations or there will be a sufficient time gap between the classes. This would give everybody the equal chance of driving the maximum out of the given time and provides the highest level of safety as well. The off-road rally will start for the first time in the city Dretyn, then switch to Miastko and finally to Drawsko Pomorskie, a city well known for its off-road rallies like the FIA World Cup rally “Baja Poland” or Polish Championship rally “Baja Drawsko”. And because the Breslau is a tough rally, there will be also a night stage.While the “Breslau 500” will finish on Sunday, 1st of July in Drawsko Pomorskie, the racers of the “full” Rallye Breslau will return to the camp to get prepared for the following week of great rally. All stages will be managed by a selected and highly experienced international Organisation crew. The timekeeping is based on reliable TAG Heuer devices and technology, Rally Control, tracking and safety is provided by Geotraq’s enterprise solution. Being a category of the Rallye Breslau, the Sporting and Technical Regulation for Breslau 500 are the same as the ones of the main event. All details and requirements can be found on the official website [ http://rallye-breslau.com ].

Op woensdag 23 mei a.s. vindt weer de jaarlijkse bijeenkomst plaats voor de komende Dakar. Ondanks eerdere berichten dat de presentatie afgelast zou zijn, wordt deze alsnog gehouden op 23 mei. De verwachting is dat A.S.O. binnenkort meer details over de 2019 route zal onthullen. Met Chili en Peru er weer bij biedt dat volop mogelijkheden wederom een zware en uitdagende route uit te zetten! Wil je meer weten over de Dakar 2019? Kom  dan op 23 mei naar Loon op Zand!  Dakar vertegenwoordiger Henk Hellegers en Xavier Gavory, hoofd ‘Competitors Department’ bij A.S.O., nodigen u graag uit. U bent van harte welkom vanaf 18.30 uur bij Experience Island, Baan achter de Plakken1, 2175 NP Loon op Zand. Klik hier om je aan te melden!

De equipe van Joost Hofmans en Mark van der Spank winnen de eerste wedstrijd van het Nederlands Kampioenschap Offroad Racing op het strand van IJmuiden. Hofmans was met zijn Yamaha YXZ1000r Side-by-side alle andere voertuigen te snel af. Vooraan was het een strijd met Can Am X3 van Robin Lietar, maar zij moest slechts acht seconden toegeven op Hofmans. Rick Aarts was samen met dochter Nienke Aarts de snelste bij de T1 4×4 auto’s, gevolgd door Dave Klaassen op 11 minuten en Jorg Overbosch op 18 minuten. De, vaak wat zwaardere, 4×4 auto’s hadden het zwaar in het logge strandzand in IJmuiden. Bij de standaard T2 klasse waren vader en zoon, Bert en Tom, Van Es de snelste met de Toyota. En dat ondanks dat zij vast hebben gezeten in de eerste bocht van het strand parcours. In de special klasse gaat de snelste tijd naar de equipe van Mark Klinkhamer en Peter van der Vliet. Zij waren met de DAZON VLK buggy de concurrentie te snel af. De nummer twee en drie maakten het nog spannend met enkel vier seconden afstand. Toch. Wisten Teun Stam en Rene Bargeman de tweede plaats te veroveren voor Roger Schoonbrood en Boy Schoonbrood. Voorzitter Eelco Bekker was trots na afloop van het weekend. Een deelnemersveld van meer dan 50 voertuigen was nog niet eerder voorgekomen tijdens de Garage Rijsenhout Strandrace IJmuiden. “Ik wil mijn bewondering uitspreken voor de mensen die het georganiseerd hebben onder leiding van Henri Joosten. Het was een geweldig weekend en mensen hebben genoten.” Maar ook hijzelf had fijn gereden samen met zijn navigator Sijbrand. Ondanks het technische probleem van gisteren tijdens de tweede manche werden zij zesde in de T1 klasse. Bij de trucks was Aart Schoones de snelste op het strand. Hij kreeg een divers veld aan tegenstanders naast zich wat beide dagen verschilde. Enkel Schoones en Sofian Brinusna waren beide dagen op het strand in actie, en zijn daarmee ook respectievelijk eerste en tweede bij de trucks. Voor Vick Versteijnen draaide vandaag om meer dan alleen racen op het strand. Zijn team kondigde het al aan op Facebook; zij zouden dit weekend voor het eerste met de Scania Torpedo gaan rijden, en onder een nieuwe naam. Versteijnen gaat in de toekomst verder met Versteijnen Trucks Racing. Binnenkort maken zij meer bekend over het team en de nieuwe kleuren. Uitslagen Overall klassement 1. Joost Hofmans / Mark van der Spank 02:25:10 2. Robin Lietar / Stephan de Grove +0:08 3. Rick Aarts / Nienke Aarts +5:26 T1 1. Rick Aarts / Nienke Aarts 2. Dave Klaassen / Tessa Rooth +11:21 3. Jorg Overbosch / Mark Salomons +18:51 T2 1. Bert van Es / Tom van Es 2. Bert Heskens / Rogier Lindeman +19:33 3. Niek Oude Luttikhuis / Nick ten Berge +19:36 Special 1. Mark Klinkhamer / Peter van der Vliet 2. Teun Stam / Rene Bargeman +24:16 3. Roger Schoonbrood / Boy Schoonbrood +26:20 SBS 1. Joost Hofmans / Mark van der Spank 2. Robin Lietar / Stephan de Grove +0:08 3. Mercier Pascal / Marie van Tomme +16:44

Het eb-Nederlands kampioenschap Offroad Racing start traditiegetrouw met de Garage Rijsenhout Strandrace in IJmuiden. Zo ook dit weekend met een groot deelnemersveld van meer dan 50 auto’s. Dave Klaassen verscheen samen met Tessa Rooth aan de start in de verbeterde Bowler wildcat. Dit jaar in een nieuwe livery en met een nieuwe motor. Welke meer vermogen zou moeten leveren, maar er valt nog veel meer uit te halen. Verteld Klaassen. “Vandaag ging eigenlijk best goed, we hebben wel wat kleine problemen gehad maar dat gaan we vanavond veranderen.” Rick Aarts was nog even een maatje te groot voor het team van DaklaPack Rally Sport. “Rick heeft een groot hart en kan verschrikkelijk goed sturen. Strategisch proberen we hem uit te rijden en we gaan voor de top drie”. De Bowler van DaklaPack Rally Sport kwam met veel stijl en ongebruikelijke lijnen door de bochten. Strategisch omdat ze toch minder bodemvrijheid hebben door de lift verteld Klaassen. “We zijn een beetje bang om vast te komen staan, dat stonden we bijna in de derde klassementsproef omdat we moesten wijken voor een buggy. Maar na de startmotor te hebben laten afkoelen konden we wegkomen.” Bas van Driel liep na de eerste met een lach door het bivak. “De dag ging wonderbaarlijk goed, de aanpassingen aan de auto hebben gewerkt. Jammer dat we een keer hebben vastgestaan, maar gelukkig hebben we samen met de jongens van Van Ham elkaar eruit geholpen. Echte teamspirit.” Twee van de drie Bowlers van Bas Autosport staan over drie weken aan de start van de Morocco Desert Challenge, maar dat is voor Bas geen reden om rustig aan te doen. “We proberen gewoon tot het gaatje te gaan. Want als de auto dit niet aan kan dan kan hij dat ook niet in Marokko. We persen hem wel tot de laatste druppel uit.” Nieuw dit jaar bij het team van Bas Autosport is de opvallende rode kleur van Motul. “Motul is hoofdsponsor van Bas Autosport. Samen met Motul werken wij mee aan de research naar oliën. De olie gaat samen met de data uit de auto na iedere race terug naar het laboratorium van Motul om samen een betere auto te maken. En daar zijn wij heel erg blij mee” Morgen gaat de Garage Rijsenhout Strandrace IJmuiden verder met de laatste dag. Het beloofd een mooie strijd te worden om de eerste overwinning. Bezoekers kunnen bij strandpaviljoen Noordzee het strand op en hebben daar een perfect uitzicht over de baan. [widgetkit id=”268″]

The Breslau Rally in Poland, the biggest licence-free Crosscountry Rally in the heart of Europe, opened the registrations and day by day more competitors subscribe for the 2018 edition. In 2018 the rally will see again the “Fat winning Lady” called “Burglinde” – the MAN KAT 4×4 Extreme-class rallytruck of the German team “Rally Noobs”. To say it first, nobody knows why their truck is named after a big women of the Age of Chivalry. But what we know is, she has a brother called “Schwerthelm” – the support- and transport-truck of the team. In 2017 the Rally-Noobs of Kay Messner, Nico Huth and Matthias Pietzsch won the Rallye Breslau Poland in the heavy-duty Extreme trucks with a big lead of 10:53:40 hours (!) in front of the IFA L60 of Pohle / Krauss / Goeschel (who bytheway only had 1:01 minutes to the 3rd, Hoenig / Buerger / Rabeler in their MAN KAT). “The rally has eight stages and we want to finish all eight stages,” Kay Messner told last year during the event, asked for his aims in the rally. “Sure we want to win. But you never know. In 2016 we were 4th on the second to last stage – and in the last stage we had to retire due to a broken engine. Because we had no trailer, the official recovery truck of Achim Lust towed us 300 kilometers back to Germany. This is why Burglinde got her brother Schwerthelm – towing a MAN KAT through Poland is not really funny.” The Rallye Noobs started their Breslau-career 2011 in the cars category with a Land Rover Defender in the Extreme class. But how to end up in the heavy Extreme trucks? “The typical story. After the stages, we were walking through the camp to visit other teams, stopped at the big trucks. The trucks became more and more interesting… and one day we decided to start with an own truck,” Kay Messner reported. “One day you are infected with the rally-virus. You like the fun, meet these special kind of friends once a year, enjoy to be part of the unique rally atmosphere!” The Breslau Rally was founded in 1995 as the first Rallyraid on European soil. During the years the event grows up to the biggest Rallyraid during European forest, settled in Western Poland near the German border. Since 2013 the rally is owned by the RBI Association, which also creates the “Balkan Offroad” Rally and was partly responsible for the “Baja Deutschland”.

Monster Energy Honda Team announces the incorporation into the ranks of José Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo, who becomes one of the official Honda Racing Corporation team riders. Team HRC continues to show faith and nurture the talents of the young and promising riders who, one day soon, will turn out to be the great names in the sport. This is true in the case of Chilean rider José Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo, 23 years old, who has strengthened his bond with the Monster Energy Honda Team. The adventure began back in January when the rider competed in the Dakar Rally replacing injured rider Paulo Gonçalves. The appointment of Nacho Cornejo to substitute for Paulo Gonçalves, on his HONDA CRF450 RALLY, turned out to be a success and the Chilean rider proved to be extremely quick, surprising everyone with his rapid adaptation to both the bike and team. Cornejo finished the Dakar Rally in tenth place, the highlights of which were a fifth place in the tenth stage and a seventh spot in stage four, where he provisionally held seventh position in the general standings. With results like these and the attitude shown by the young rider, Cornejo was an obvious choice as the new official HRC rider. The agreement with the Chilean rider from Iquique, will run for three full seasons – until the end of the 2021 Dakar Rally – with his maiden race as an official rider set for the FIM World Championship Cross-Country Rallies at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Nacho Cornejo’s role of honour includes a world title: the Cross-Country Rallies Junior Championship which he won in 2016. In 2015 he finished tenth in the Desafío Ruta 40 and the Atacama Rally. He debuted in rally competitions back in 2012 at the Desafío Inka, where he posted second place overall. Raul Castells, Monster Energy Honda Team Manager commented: “We are very happy to have a new team member. José Ignacio Cornejo took to the part really well, and we were pleased with him and the way that he integrated so quickly into the Monster Energy Honda Team. He’s a lad that’s easy to get on with and everyone in the team really likes him. After what he did in the Dakar, it seemed like the most natural thing to do to incorporate him into the team with the other young riders to help them grow in the sport. Let’s hope that he adapts as quickly as possible and hopefully we will be able to achieve great successes together. We wish him all the best.” José Ignacio Cornejo said: “I’m really happy to have signed for the Monster Energy Honda Team as one of the HRC riders. In the Dakar I had the opportunity to enter into a great team, even though I knew it was just for the one race. Now I’m really motivated and I hope to be able to bring a lot to the team. It’s an important step for my career – something that, for a long time, I’ve been hoping for. I’m really pleased to be here as we start things off. I will give it my best shot.”

Mohammed Al Balooshi (KTM) overcame a disappointing opening day, raised his game on day two and took advantage of the retirement of first stage winner Aaron Mare and Mohammed Jaffar to seal victory in the Dubai International Baja, the opening round of the 2018 FIM Cross-Country Bajas World Cup. The unfortunate South African Aaron Mare delivered a stunning first day performance, but found himself stopped with mechanical problems on the second stage, after 91km, and was forced to retire. His misfortune gave Al-Balooshi the prospect of a victory, but the end of the second special stage of 273 km through the Al-Qudra Desert was not easy for the Emirati rider either: Al-Balooshi said: “It was a stage of madness today. I attacked really hard and I did not lift off until I crossed the finish line. But I had the impression at the refueling that there was confusion with my teammates and I rode to the end of the special with fear in my stomach in case I did not have enough fuel to finish!” Al-Balooshi won the second stage and took the overall victory ahead of Frenchman Benjamin Melot, who also had a stressful special: “We rode really fast today. Suddenly, I had problems with the rear brake and then the gearbox. The last 30 km, I finished stuck in third gear. I am happy to have finished and to be in good shape!” Al-Balooshi’s younger brother Sultan rounded off the podium places. “It was very hot today and, at the beginning of the special, I fell. Luckily, I finished and in third place!” In the quad category, the victory went to Fahad Al-Musallam for the second successive season, despite some mistakes on the track. The Kuwaiti rider finished ahead of the Emirati Khalifa Al-Rasse, who solved the problems that handicapped him yesterday. Russian rider Aleksander Maksimov was third. Official Overall classification Bike FIM 1. Mohammed Al Balooshi 3:58.39 2. Benjamin Melot 4:01.35 3. Sultan Balooshi 4:08.42 Official Overall classification Quad FIM 1.Fahad Al Musallam 4:44:31 2.Khalifa Al Rasse 4:54:09. 3.Aleksander Maksimov 5:12:28.0

The Dubai International Baja, being organised by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of ATCUAE, and his team has the honour of opening the FIM Cross-Country Baja World Cup season. Starting on Wednesday, March 7th, the Dubai Autodrome will welcome competitors and their teams for administrative and technical checks. Located in Dubai’s Motor City, the Autodrome’s modern infrastructure has offered an excellent solution to also accommodate Rally HQ, the Service Park and Parc Fermé over the race weekend. This will be the nerve centre of the Dubai International Baja. With two days of administrative and technical checks completed, 27 motorbikes and quads will have the privilege of crossing the start podium, which is also located in the circuit, where they will receive the hand of Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the signal to start the race. On Friday, March 9, competitors permitted to start the Dubai International Baja will take an early 50km road section to the Al Qudra Desert and the start of the 173km special across varied terrain composed of small and large dunes, as well as sabkhas. A second special of 173km will be staged on before the chequered flag is raised back at the Dubai Autodrome. Mohammed Al-Balooshi, the multiple Arab Motocross Champion, is one of the favorites to take the win. The amicable Emirati finished on the third step of the podium at the 2017 Dubai International Baja. The KTM rider said: “I was very happy with this third place last year but, this time, I start with the intention of improving my performance. I am a passionate rider, the race is my life and I am looking forward to the start of this first round of the FIM Cross-Country Bajas World Cup. I worked very hard during the last year and now is the time to reap the benefits.” “I do not want to think about who I have to fight. I run to improve my technique and my performance. My goal is to be good enough to beat others. For me, it’s always about evolving as a rider.” Balooshi Racing’s KTM UAE Team has other contenders for the podium or at least the top of the rankings: the Kuwaiti Mohammed Jaffar and Sultan Al Balooshi, the younger brother of Mohammed, plus Abdulla Shatti, who also hails from Kuwait. In the quad category, the Russian rider Aleksandr Maksimov will be keen to lead his Yamaha Raptor to the top step of the podium.

In het weekend van 24 en 25 maart gaat het eb Nederlands Kampioenschap Offroad Racing traditiegetrouw van start met de eerste wedstrijd op het strand van IJmuiden. De Garage Rijsenhout Strandrace IJmuiden is de wedstrijd voor Side-by-sides, auto’s en trucks om het gaspedaal weer eens flink in te drukken na de winter. Zoals ieder jaar zien we de bekende namen uit het NK ORR weer terug op de inschrijvingen. Naamsponsor en organisator Henri Joosten is er samen met Eric van Beelen weer bij met zijn haast historische Mitsubishi PX33, en ook de klassement winnaar Bas van Driel met zijn Bowler Bulldog zal deelnemen in IJmuiden. In de T2 klasse zien we het kleinste autootje van het veld weer terug. Jeffrey Derycke en Anouk Vandenberghe zullen aan de start staan met hun Suzuki Samurai. Het parcours van vorig jaar was op het lijf geschreven van iedere side-by-side. De korte bochten en jumps waren perfect voor de lichtere en wendbare voertuigen. Winnaar van vorig seizoen, Joost Hofmans, zal samen met Mark van der Spank weer deelnemen. Dakar deelnemers Eelco Bekker en Marc Leeuw verruilen het zand van Zuid-Amerika voor het strandzand aan de Noordzee. Ja, Marc Leeuw want tijdens de Garage Rijsenhout Strandrace IJmuiden zijn rally trucks van harte welkom. Naast Leeuw zullen ook Vick Versteijnen, Aart Schoones en Jos Smink met de trucks aan de start verschijnen. De organisatie nodigt dan ook graag iedere rally truck eigenaar uit om zich in te schrijven voor 24 en 25 maart. Benieuwd naar wie er allemaal aan de start staan? Bekijk hier de deelnemerslijst.

KTM Motorsports are pleased to announce that Laia Sanz has signed a two-year contract extension, which will see the popular Spaniard remain with the KTM Factory Racing Team until at least the end of the 2020 racing season. Laia Sanz will continue to concentrate on cross-country rallies and the Dakar during the period of her extended contract, with the five-time FIM Enduro Women World Champion set to also contest selected enduro events for training purposes. Riding her eighth Dakar at the beginning of 2018, Laia took her KTM 450 RALLY to an impressive 12th place overall – an outstanding feat considering the depth of talent in the event. The result ensured Laia’s 100% finishing record remained intact with the Spaniard having successfully completed each Dakar she has entered since her debut in 2011. Signing with KTM until the end of 2020 ensures Laia can focus on her training and racing throughout the next two seasons. The 32-year-old Barcelona native is extremely pleased to have signed her third contract with the Austrian brand. Laia Sanz: “I’m so pleased to sign for another two years with KTM. The whole team works together so well and to be a part of that means a lot to me. Extending my contract means I can concentrate on my riding and preparation for Dakar without too many distractions. I plan to enter some enduros each season and maybe try some new events like Erzberg for example, but my main focus will always be the Dakar. I want to say a big thank you to KTM for giving me this opportunity with the best team and I hope to reward their faith in me with some good results.”  Pit Beirer – KTM Motorsport Director: “KTM are extremely proud to sign Laia through to the end of 2020. She has been with us for many years now and it has been a pleasure to see her competing for KTM – her results, and what she brings to the team in the way of inspiration and strength, are exemplary. Laia is a highly valued member of the KTM family and we are pleased to be able to continue our relationship with her.”  Alex Doringer – KTM Rally Team Manager: “Everyone involved in KTM’s Rally effort is thrilled to have Laia with us for the next two years. What she brings in the way of her personality and professionalism is a real boost to the whole team, and an incredible asset to KTM. Laia’s passion for racing is matched only by her mental strength and enthusiasm. Her results are nothing short of exceptional and she is a huge inspiration for all the other riders. Laia’s contract extension with KTM is very special for us and we are all looking forward to successful seasons ahead.”  

In the seventh stage of the Africa Eco Race, Gerard de Rooy still has not got the large and extensive dunes he hoped for. The special stage of 486 kilometres was particularly varied: “Fast, some stones, some dunes – not spectacular – and camel grass. After so many years I know again what camel grass is. I haven’t missed it.” The special stage had both start and finish in the vicinity of the bivouac at Chami in Mauritania. De Rooy completed the distance in 4 hours and 40 minutes. Standings leader Vladimir Vasilyev extended his gap on De Rooy with more than 46 minutes. The Russian Mini again achieved an average speed of 125; more than 20 km/h faster than the Iveco. On the mostly fast tracks, interspersed with the hard humps of camel grass, De Rooy almost had a broken tire. “The tread was damaged. We changed the tire before it would puncture,” he says in the bivouac. “That means that I still have one and a half spare tire left for tomorrow.” The seventh stage was the first part of the marathon stage. De Rooy had to put his Iveco Powerstar in a parc fermé where the service crews are not allowed to enter. With the spare tires he started the seventh stage with, he also has to make it to the end of the eighth. “We can quietly do our thing and the mechanics can go to bed early”, said De Rooy. “That’s good, because the service team will have a ten-hour drive tomorrow.” The participants in the race have a stage of 439 kilometres awaiting them, in which – according to the organization – ’the real dunes start’. This may be the chance for De Rooy to advance into fourth in the standings. The Swiss driver Remy Vauthier has only 3 minutes left to De Rooy.

In 1.47.22 Gerard de Rooy finished the 211 kilometres of the sixth stage of the Africa Eco Race. With his average speed of 118 he really could not match the 144 km/h that Mathieu Serradori got with his buggy. De Rooy added 19.56 to the Frenchman. In the first test in Mauritania, the pedal was pushed to the metal again, just like in the stages in Morocco. De Rooy had hoped those fast tracks were behind him. “Fortunately, there were a few bad pieces and it was less boring than the last stage before the rest day, but again this was indeed not an ideal test for the trucks.” The average speed of De Rooy was somewhat tempered by a quick stop on the way. “An oil lamp went on. We had to check that, but it was nothing.” The participants in the Africa Eco Race this morning moved in column across the Mauritanian border. Petronas Team De Rooy Iveco was the first to cross the border, which meant that Gerard de Rooy had to wait a few hours before he could start the special stage. “Time enough to take a nap,” he said when he arrived in the bivouac near Chami. Tomorrow the first part of the marathon stage will be on the program. After a special of 486 kilometres, the participants return to Chami, but the vehicles must be parked in a parc fermé that is forbidden for the service crews.

The Africa Eco Race is over for Wuf van Ginkel. The engine of the Iveco Powerstar can not be repaired in a way that it is safe to continue. Gerard de Rooy is therefore on his own in the second week of the rally, but he still sees chances on a podium. It is the first time in ten years that the Iveco engine has a problem and it is precisely because of this that it can not be solved now. “We have never had any troubles with the engine. It has proved te be so reliable over the years that we hardly have any parts with us”, explains Gerard de Rooy on the rest day in Dakhla, where earlier today the decision was taken that it was useless for Van Ginkel to continue the race. “We can’t solve it well enough”, adds Van Ginkel. “We have had contact with FPT, the tuner, and they do not think it is justified. The chance of consequential damage is too big. It’s just bad luck. This is the same engine that Team De Rooy has been driving for years, the same as what Gerard and the three trucks in the Dakar Rally have.” Van Ginkel and his crew will therefore fly back to the Netherlands tomorrow. His truck will be put on the trailer. After the Africa Eco Race, the team will speak with Iveco and the engine will be disassembled. “The most frustrating thing is that it has nothing to do with the new car,” says Van Ginkel. “It works great. It is a real shame pity that we can’t participate in the second week.” In the second part of the Africa Eco Race, the dunes in Mauritania are on the menu: exactly what Petronas Team De Rooy Iveco was looking forward to. Gerard de Rooy will have to do it on his own, without Van Ginkel’s backup. “That means I have to adjust my strategy a bit,” De Rooy says. “I will have to drive a little more carefully.” In the first week, De Rooy scored a deficit of 2.40.43 compared to standings leader Vladimir Vasilyev; a gap that is bigger than he expected. “The routes in Morocco were too fast. The cars sometimes drove at 200 km, while we are limited to 150. In the stage yesterday my average speed was 120, while the Mini from Vasilyev reached 147 kilometres per hour.” Nevertheless, De Rooy has not yet put a podium position out of his mind. Winning will be difficult, he realizes, but in the dunes nothing is impossible. “There are certainly opportunities there, because the difference in speed is less and my Powerstar is better off in that terrain. Vasilyev only needs to get stuck once and it is very different.” Photo: Alessio Corradini

The fifth stage of the Africa Eco Race was once again a two-faced one for Petronas Team De Rooy Iveco. While Gerard de Rooy drove through the desert in the direction of Dakhla with a tearing pace,  Wuf van Ginkel had to stop at 86 kilometres into the special. Ignorant of the problems of his backup driver De Rooy gave his Iveco Powerstar the spurs, to finish with in fourth overall at 36.48 of stage winner Vladimir Vasilyev, after 436 kilometres of racing. “It was a very fast stage”, De Rooy told at the finish. “We have driven at a pace of 150 for at least 20 percent of the time. I couldn’t go faster. This desert is actually too big and too flat for us; ideal terrain for the cars, but not for us.” As a result of the fast track, Vasilyev was able to extend his lead in the standings. The Russian now has 16.35 on his closest opponent Mathieu Serradori and 1.25.02 on Pascal Thomasse in third. De Rooy is in fifth overall, at 2.40.43 behind. The Czech Tomas Tomecek is the second truck, in twelfth overall at 5.06.38 behind on Vasilyev. De Rooy lost about ten minutes in the middle of the stage by changing a tire. “We hit a stone and had a slow puncture because of that. It was not completely broken yet, but it did not matter much, so it was better to change.” While De Rooy was at the connection route of 175 kilometres from the finish line to the bivouac in Dakhla, Wuf van Ginkel was in the assistance truck of Hugo Duisters, with the Powerstar on the trailer. At 86 kilometres in the stage it went wrong again. “Again the engine. Everything is leaking. The oil and water gush out,” says Van Ginkel. “I’m really annoyed, because it’s going to be a very difficult story now. Fortunately, tomorrow is rest day, so we have time to see what exactly is wrong and whether it can be solved.”

With the fifth fastest time, 35 minutes behind the Russian Vladimir Vasilyev, Gerard de Rooy crossed the finish line of the fourth stage of the Africa Eco Race. The difference with the Mini driver could have been smaller, De Rooy admitted. A navigation error cost the captain of Petronas Team De Rooy Iveco some 20 minutes. “That was a bit of a shame, but we still managed to keep it up to speed today. We have been on 150 kms for at least 20 minutes. Especially in the last part it went very well.” In the first part of the 499 kilometres long stage from Assa to Fort Chacal, De Rooy had to stop three times to vomit. “Because we start from the bivouac in this rally, my breakfast does not have time to digest. I spoke about it with our doctor and from now on I have to get up a little earlier and have breakfast earlier, so that it has time to go down instead of making me sick.” It did not make much of a difference for the standings. In the overall classification the gap to leader Vasilyev is 2.03.55. The difference with the top 3 is 1.20. “In this phase the stages are long but fast and the cars have the advantage, because they can drive 180, 190 in places where a truck is limited to 150. Next week in Mauretania there will be enough stages where that difference is completely gone and where I can make up for time. I certainly have not put the podium out of my mind. A lot can still happen.” De Rooy had already decided to take it relatively easy before the start of the stage, in order to avoid inconvenience such as damage and punctures. After all, he did not have any service around in case of emergency, because the assistance crews had already left for Fort Chacal last night to repair the truck of Wuf van Ginkel in daylight. Arriving at the bivouac, De Rooy saw to his satisfaction that the mechanics had advanced. “They started at 9 o’clock this morning and pulled everything apart to be checked. Some small things have appeared, but nothing really worrying. They have now adjusted the shock absorbers, so that the truck gets fewer hits. From what I can see at this moment, it looks as if Wuf can compete again tomorrow.” The fifth stage, from Fort Chacal to Dakhla, is 631 kilometres long, with a special of 436 kilometres with sand and fast trails. “Tough for the material and the navigator, but a joy to drive”, according to the description of the organization. In Dakhla is the rest day of the Africa Eco Race, Sunday.

The second stage of the Africa Eco Race, with a special of 443 kilometres from Dar Kaoura to Agdal, was a beautiful, but also tough day in which both Petronas Team De Rooy Iveco trucks had a hard time. A broken shock absorber cost Gerard de Rooy an hour of loss of time. Wuf van Ginkel even had to leave the special stage and drive via the road to the bivouac at Foum Zguid. “The first part of the special we were at rocket speed”, opens Gerard de Rooy. In no time he had overtaken the buggy that had started ahead of him, in the dunes of Erg Chebbi, and the first bikers. De Rooy closed in on Vladimir Vasilyev’s Mini. But then things went wrong. On a fast stretch, where the cars and buggies were in favor of the truck, De Rooy got into trouble with one of the brakes. “One of the shock absorbers appeared to be broken. We had to dismantle it, which took a lot of time. Then we had to stop two more times to secure everything again. Because of that broken shock absorber, one of the brakes was broken too. With only three of four brakes through the dunes and some bad stretches with lots of stones; that doesn’t help.” De Rooy was disappointed by the result, because he had liked the special. De Rooy finished in ninth time overall (trucks, cars, motorcycles) at 1.05.46 from Vasilyev. In the combined standings of cars and trucks he is now seventh at 1.11.11 of the Russian. Wuf van Ginkel saw his chances of a good result fading on the second day of the Africa Eco Race. In the 443 kilometres long stage from Erfoud to Foum Zguid he ran into so much bad luck that he had to leave the race halfway through to reach the bivouac by road. A non-working tire pressure system was the cause of the misery. Because the system did not work well on one side of the Iveco, mechanic Bert van Donkelaar could not get the right pressure in the tires. In the stage with dunes, sand, fast paths and riverbeds with stones, tire pressure was crucial. The problem caused two tattered tires and one that went down slowly. “We have changed the broken tires and the one that ran empty we moved to the other side, where the tire system still worked,” says Van Ginkel. “Unfortunately, that was not enough, because the wrong tire pressure caused a steering ball to break, causing another two punctures. Then it was over. The steering axle did not want to go left anymore. I couldn’t continue without steering. Such a shame when a small problem has such big consequences. It went so well.” In total Van Ginkel and his crew had to change a wheel six times. At Mhamid Van Ginkel was able to take the road to drive to the bivouac at Foum Zguid. Because he could not steer to the left, he had to take some turns in reverse. “Right in reverse is also left. It is just a bit more difficult.”   After arriving in the bivouac, Van Ginkel needed the time to process his disappointment. “This is a big downer. We are not here to drive via the road. We can forget about the classification now. The only thing we can still hope for is a few nice results day by day.”

Paste the last stickers, wash the trucks, some tinkering with the installation of the GPS, but then Petronas Team De Rooy Iveco could go to the scrutineering for the Africa Eco Race. After a thorough preparation, Gerard de Rooy and Wuf van Ginkel have high hopes for the rally that will start in Monaco tomorrow. Team De Rooy goes for nothing less than the victory in the Africa Eco Race. Gerard de Rooy is therefore at the start with his familiar Powerstar, while Wuf van Ginkel will drive with the new Powerstar Evo, with independent suspension. “In terms of competition, the Dakar Rally in South America is stronger”, De Rooy admits. “My main rivals are there. Still, for this year. But the fun is in the Africa Eco Race. I hope that next year we can combine both: the fun and the competition.” For De Rooy, the challenge now is to win the general classification, and in the route. “The first few days of the rally, the stages in Morocco, are familiar ground for us. I am especially looking forward to the second week, to the stages in Mauritania. In the past, when the Dakar Rally was still in Africa, I’ve been there four or five times and that is really nice. A lot of sand, nice drive and a nice rally, that’s what I look forward to.” For Wuf van Ginkel, the same applies. He also knows Mauritania from the ‘old Dakar’. “The preparation was good, the trucks are good, the route looks good. So yes: I do have high expectations. Driving a truck with independent suspension through the dunes is very special. So I especially look forward to the driving and certainly with this truck.” Tomorrow morning is the podium start of the Africa Eco Race in Monaco. The participants and the assistance then drive straight to the boat that takes them to Morocco, where the first stage will be on January 2nd.