The 2026 Africa Eco Race was the 17th edition of the rally raid in North Africa. Departing from Tangier on 25 January 2026 it travelled through Morocco, Mauritania, and finished in Senegal. This is the first event that started the race on the African continent rather than Europe.
Summary Due to unfortunate weather conditions the event started with difficulties. The crossing from Marseille to Tangier was affected because of rough seas, the beach Prologue was cancelled due to rain, and Stage 1 had to be cancelled because of heavy snowfall resulting in a diversion liaison of nearly 1,000 km.
Stage 12 is a ceremonial special stage to celebrate reaching Lac Rose and, while timed, does not add any time to the general classification.
The bike category was won by a margin of only 41 seconds by rookie Kevin Gallas in only his third ever rally raid. Gerrit Zuurmond retained his title with a second consecutive win in the trucks.
This event welcomed two octogenarians. Noël Essers (82), a three-time podium finisher in the event, made a return in the trucks after a six year hiatus and Yoshimasa Sugawara (84) returned in a race category after being in the raid category the previous year. Entry list 172 total vehicles lined up at the start of the race event which include 105 motorcycles (1 quad), 20 cars, 20 SSV/T3/T4, 5 trucks, and 22 vehicles in the historic category (21 cars and 1 truck).
124 vehicles finished the event, including 70 motorcycles, 13 cars, 16 SSV/T3/T4, 4 trucks, and 21 historic vehicles.
There were also 13 bikes and 13 cars in the non-racing raid category.
Vehicles and Categories The vehicle categories were adjusted and reduced compared to the 2025 event. The historic class remained the same.
BikesCarsCategoryClassIdentifierDescriptionCategoryClassDescription1450 ccUp to 450 ccT1T1.+Prototype Cross-Country Cars Thermic2>450 ccOver 450 ccT1.1Prototype Cross-Country Cars "Ultimate"3Multicylinder: >300 cc to 649 ccT1.24x4 Prototype Cross-Country Cars4Multicylinder: 650 to 999 ccT2T2Series Production Cross-Country Cars5Multicylinder: >1000 ccT3T3.ULightweight Prototype Cross-Country Vehicles6ExperimentalT3.1Lightweight Prototype Cross-Country Vehicles7GCompetition Quad: Powered by the action of two wheels (2-wheel drive)T4T4Modified Production Cross-Country Side-by-Side VehiclesHCompetition Quad: Powered by the action of four wheels (4-wheel drive)SSV SeriesSSV.1Atmospheric engine: <999 cc1FemaleSSV.2Atmospheric engine: >999 cc2Junior (under 25 years)SSV.3Turbo engine3Veteran (over 45 years)T5T5.1Trucks 10L or over4Malle Moto (Motul Xtreme Rider)T5.2Trucks under 10L5Rookie Rider (by Milwaukee)OpenOpen.U6ExperimentalOpen
Competitor List
Note – "Milwaukee Rookie Rider": Aged less than 35 years old on the day of the start of the rally, and have never taken part in a rally longer than 8 days. – "Original by Motul" — Competitors participating in the "Motul Xtreme Rider" Malle Moto, a marathon class with limited assistance. – Competitors that were not able to start the race. No. Driver Bike Team Category Class 1 Jacopo Cerutti Aprilia Tuareg 660 Aprilia Tuareg Racing (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 2 Alessandro Botturi Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 6 Marco Menichini Aprilia Tuareg 660 Aprilia Tuareg Racing (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 7 Bruno Da Costa Honda Translap 750 Honda Xperience (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 11 Samuel Chamoin Yamaha Ténéré 700 Dubois Moto Thome (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 12 David Fretigne Honda CRF 450 Rally Honda Off Road Center (1) 450 3V 13 Alexandre Azinhais KTM 500 EXC-F Club Aventura Touareg Motoglobo (2) 450+ 3V 14 Daniel Di Giusto KTM 450 Rally Wiedemann Motorsports (1) 450 3V 15 Christian Punginelli Husqvarna 450 Rc Motorsport (1) 450 3V 16 Jean Louis Gros Kove 450 Rally Chatjlg Defi Dunes (1) 450 3V 17 Matteo Bottino Kove 800x Rally Ls Kove Italia Racing Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 18 Frédéric Richter Kove 450 Rally Fred Moto Adventures (1) 450 3V 19 Luca Seppele Kove 450 Ex Kove Italia Racing Team (2) 450+ 20 Mirco Bettini Beta 480 RR Azzurrorosa (2) 450+ 3V 21 Gautier Paulin Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 22 Didier Martin Husqvarna 701 Le P'tit Team (2) 450+ 3V 23 Tommaso Bettini Beta 480 RR Azzurrorosa (2) 450+ 2J 24 Frédéric Miñana Red Moto CRF 450 Rally Honda Xperience (1) 450 3V 25 Jan Nikolaus Christian Winkler Honda CRF 450 Rally Oakleaf Engineering (1) 450 26 Stephane Stragliati KTM 450 Rally Srt (1) 450 3V 28 Boris Wolters Husquvarna 450 Rally City2roues Racing (1) 450 29 Nicolas Michaux Yamaha Ténéré 700 Michaux (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 30 Thomas Marini Husqvarna 450 Rally Solarys Factory (1) 450 31 Gerben Lieverdink KTM 450 Rally Memo Tours Team (1) 450 3V 32 Joanny Dussurgey GasGas RX 450 F Dream Big (1) 450 33 Martin Camp Kove 450 EX Amsoil - Martin Camp (1) 450 3V 34 James Simonin Husqvarna 450 Rally Adventure World (1) 450 3V 35 Mark Johnston Honda CRF 450 Rally Johnston Moto (1) 450 3V 36 Achraf Zoulati KTM 450 EXC-F Fed. Royale Marocaine De Motocyclisme (1) 450 38 Paolo Caprioni Husqvarna 450 FR Team Solarys Factory (1) 450 3V 39 Ludovic Pennant GasGas RX 450 F Team Rev2roues (1) 450 40 Stefano Dogliotti Kove 450 Rally Kove Italia (1) 450 41 Mike Bächler KTM 450 Rally S3 Rally (1) 450 42 Thomas Fathke Husqvarna 450 FR Wiedemann Motorsports (1) 450 43 Luca Perna Kove 450 Rally Team Solarys Factory (1) 450 3V 44 Gad Nachmani KTM 450 Rally Club Aventura Touareg (1) 450 3V 45 Sébastien Petitpas Honda CRF 450 Rally Honda Xperience (1) 450 3V 50 Hans Kristian Dovland KTM 450 RFR Dovland (1) 450 51 Franck Garriga Husqvarna 450 FE Francky Goes to Dakar (1) 450 3V 52 Cyril Buesa Honda Transalp 750 Honda Xperience (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 53 Sylvain Martignoni KTM 450 Rally S3 Rally (1) 450 55 Patrik Siska KTM 450 EXC-F Wolverine Racing Team (1) 450 56 Jean-christophe Menard Honda Transalp 750 Honda Xperience (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 59 Marc Joineau Kove 450 Rally Team Dak'car (1) 450 60 Alex Yon KTM 450 RFR Enduro Normandie (1) 450 61 Jim Moisa KTM 450 RFR Enduro Normandie (1) 450 62 Giuseppe Pozzo KTM 500 EXC Gpc Team Pozzo (2) 450+ 64 Dominique Robin Honda CRF 450 Rally Honda Xperience (1) 450 3V 66 Hille Dalstra Honda 450 Rally Fryslan (1) 450 67 Philippe Heraud KTM 450 EXC Philippe Heraud (1) 450 3V 68 David Barrot Honda Transalp 750 Honda Xperience (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 69 Alexis Raoux Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 70 Isabelle Gazon Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 1F 3V 71 Yann Duprey Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 72 Carmelo Palmer Honda 450 Rally Calabria Adventure (1) 450 3V 73 Massimo FErrari Husquarna 450 Rally Rs Moto (1) 450 3V 74 Mathieu Croisier KTM 890 Adventure r Les Champs D'aire (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 75 Kai Fröhlich KTM 450 Rally Memo Tours Team (1) 450 3V 76 Hugh De Belloy Husqvarna 450 Rally Qdr (1) 450 77 Ricardo Iglesias Cartón KTM 450 EXC Pedrega (1) 450 80 Roman Krejci KTM 450 Rally Boibeton Racing (1) 450 3V 86 Carlos De Juan KTM 450 Rally Dubon Racing-bonatel (1) 450 3V 87 Magnus Holsen Aasberg KTM 450 RFR A4+ (1) 450 88 Cédric Jacques Husqvarna 450 Rally Razorback Team (1) 450 3V 89 Thierry Traccan Honda CRF 450 Rally Honda Off Road Center (1) 450 3V 90 Joachim Hellsten KTM 450 RFR A4+ (1) 450 91 Benoit Dalle Palle KTM 450 EXC Razorback Team (1) 450 92 Stephan Savelkouls Husqvarna 450 RR Memo Tours Team (1) 450 93 Laurent Cochet Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 94 Valentin Sertilhanges KTM 450 Rally Horizon Moto 95 (1) 450 95 Amaury Baratin KTM 450 Rally Horizon Moto 95 (1) 450 3V 96 Lejon Fokkema Husqvarna 450 RR Memo Tours Team (1) 450 97 Alexis Varagne Yamaha Raptor 700R Team Senegal (7G) Quad 98 Robert Sr. Van Pelt Fantic Motor Memo Tours Team (1) 450 3V 99 Robert Jr. Van Pelt Husqvarna 450 RR Memo Tours Team (1) 450 100 Cyril Forget Arctic Leopard Exe 880 Cfr Endurance (6) Electic 3V 106 Bertrand Gavard Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 109 Antonio Maio Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 110 Francesco Montanari Aprilia Tuareg 660 Aprilia Tuareg Racing (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 111 Timur Urakov Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 112 Stephan Wilhelmsson KTM 450 Rally All in Travel (1) 450 114 Thomas Barea Fernandez KTM 450 EXC-F Rtc (1) 450 3V 115 Remi Sailland KTM 450 Rally Dunes and Dude (1) 450 120 Anders Berglund KTM 450 RFR Anders Berglund (1) 450 3V 121 Sebastiano Antonello Kove 450 Rally Sebastiano Antonello (1) 450 122 Andrea Vignone GasGas Es 700 Motosystem #becrazy Reparto Corse (2) 450+ 123 Fabio Lottero KTM 500 EXC-F Club Aventura Touareg (2) 450+ 124 Nicolas Charlier Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 125 Jean Codaccioni KTM 500 EXC-F Capo Racing Club (2) 450+ 126 Maarten Buitenhuis Velimotor Havocker Electric Team Powersportcenter.nl (6) Electic 3V 127 Willy Jobard Jinyuxing H40 Electric Rally Team Powersportcenter.nl (6) Electic 128 Max Bianucci Husqvarna 450 Rally Bianucci (1) 450 143 Kévin Durand Honda CRF 450 Rally Dream 2 Raid (1) 450 144 Michael Riebel KTM 450 Rally Siamar Reisen Wiedemann Motorsports (1) 450 3V 150 Matthew Gird Husqvarna 450 FR Northeast Racing (1) 450 151 Mark Frater KTM 450 RFR Go Glass (1) 450 3V 155 Benjamin Cerovic Honda CRF 450 Rally Benj Off Road (1) 450 168 Jean-christophe Mangeart Honda Red Moto CRF 450 RX Rally Genay Racing (1) 450 3V 169 Christophe Arrive Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 3V 171 Kevin Gallas Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 174 Gilles Kuffer Yamaha Ténéré 700 Ténéré Yamaha Racing Rally Team (4) 650-999 Multicylinder 176 Jean-loup Lepan KTM 450 Rally Rc Assistance (1) 450 183 Anthony Neves KTM 690 Enduro R Girondin (2) 450+ 184 Noa Sainct KTM 450 EXC-F Sainct (1) 450 2J 191 Mike Wiedemann Yamaha Ténéré 700 Wiedemann Motorsports (4) 650-999 Multicylinder