Series: Fenix Rally – The doorway to Sahara
Jeremy Knuiman clearly won the sixth stage of the Fenix Rally 2026 from Douz to Monastir in the Enduro class and took the overall lead back from Justin Gerlach. According to the organiser’s provisional, unofficial daily classification, the Dutchman on a KTM was 8 minutes and 34 seconds faster than every other motorcyclist. By his own account, Gerlach struggled with a failed roadbook controller, a minor fall and a navigational error. Ahead of the final stage he is now 6 minutes and 5 seconds behind Knuiman.
A stage to Monastir with a shortened timed section
With Leg 6, the rally left the Sahara region after four days around Douz and headed for the Mediterranean coast. RallyandRaces.com had announced the penultimate stage as a run to Monastir of around 450 kilometres, roughly half of it against the clock. According to the same outlet, the Fenix Rally ends on the afternoon of Saturday 31 October 2026.
The day apparently did not go quite to plan. Gerlach reports that the stage was cancelled because an area on the route was flooded; some cars had got stuck there earlier. The field then drove 300 kilometres on the road to Monastir. There is no statement from the organiser, RBI Sport, on the cancellation or the distance that counted for the results. The winning time of 1 hour, 8 minutes and 36 seconds points to a considerably shortened special stage.
Enduro daily classification: Knuiman well clear
Three riders finished within 27 seconds behind Knuiman. Richard Wijntjes (Husqvarna, De Baar Rally Team) was second, Gerlach finished just 2 seconds behind in third, and Daan Veenendaal (GasGas, De Baar Rally Team) followed in fourth. The classification is expressly marked as provisional and unofficial.
- 1st: Jeremy Knuiman (NLD, KTM), 1:08:36 h
- 2nd: Richard Wijntjes (NLD, Husqvarna), gap (min:sec): +8:34
- 3rd: Justin Gerlach (DEU, KTM), +8:36
- 4th: Daan Veenendaal (NLD, GasGas), +9:01
- 5th: Pascal de Baar (NLD, KTM), +11:38
Overall standings: Knuiman leads by six minutes
Before the day, Gerlach had taken the lead after his stage win on Leg 5. The times in the provisional overall classification imply that before Leg 6 he was around 2 minutes and 31 seconds ahead of Knuiman. By gaining 8 minutes and 36 seconds on Gerlach, Knuiman turned the duel around again.
- 1st: Jeremy Knuiman (NLD, KTM), 26:45:25 h
- 2nd: Justin Gerlach (DEU, KTM), gap (h:min:sec): +0:06:05
- 3rd: Daan Veenendaal (NLD, GasGas), +1:08:45
- 4th: Gaspard Delsart (FRA, KTM), +5:16:41
- 5th: Richard Wijntjes (NLD, Husqvarna), +6:15:54
This standing is also a provisional overall classification after Leg 6. Penalty times are already included in the total time: Knuiman has 15 minutes and 30 seconds so far, Gerlach 2 minutes.
Gerlach: controller failure, fall, wrong turn
According to Gerlach, his problems began at kilometre 30, when the roadbook controller failed. This is the handlebar control riders use to advance the digital roadbook. “I had to scroll the roadbook by hand,” the German said. It did not work at all with the touchscreen. Knuiman still did not catch him until kilometre 60. He then rode in the Dutchman’s dust for about 10 kilometres before leaving the track and falling lightly. He said he was not injured and the motorcycle was fine.
Gerlach then tried to follow Knuiman’s tracks, because navigating by roadbook no longer worked. “In doing so I lost the track and got lost, so I lost a lot of time, very annoying.” His assessment was sober: “So the overall classification is probably, how shall I put it, gone.” (Translation of the German-language original.)
By his own assessment he regards second place as safe, provided he finishes the rally. According to the provisional classification, his lead over Veenendaal is 1 hour, 2 minutes and 40 seconds. In the evening in Monastir, Gerlach says he wired up a completely new roadbook system, soldered connectors and checked the cables. For the final stage he expects just 60 to 70 kilometres. “I’ll give everything until the finish line,” he announced. (Translation of the German-language original.) There was also a private surprise: his parents were waiting for him in the camp, although by his own account he had assumed they were on holiday in Egypt.
Willer and Reinprecht
Florian Willer (DEU, KTM) finished Leg 6 in tenth place, 14 minutes and 52 seconds behind Knuiman. He is eighth in the provisional overall classification. Austrian Georg Reinprecht (Beta) finished 16th, 28 minutes and 53 seconds behind the fastest rider of the day, and is also 16th overall.
Loasis motorcycles
The historic rally Loasis L’Original is running in parallel; according to the organiser, the Fenix Rally 2026 has entered into a partnership with it. In its M2005 motorcycle class, Gaspard Albanel (FRA, KTM) won the daily classification and leads the class by 2 minutes and 32 seconds over Ludovic Gager. In the M85 class, Pieter Boudrez (BEL, Yamaha) is the only classified rider.
Sources and photo credits
- Fenix Rally 2026, Partial Unofficial Classification for L6 and Rally Provisional Classification after Leg 6 (timing rc.geotraq.de, as of 30 October 2026), results documents held by the editorial team; Entry List Fenix Rally 2026
- Justin Gerlach, voice message to the editorial team on Leg 6 (quotes verbatim, in places shortened while preserving the meaning)
- RallyandRaces.com: Koen Wauters: de navigatie was meer dan pittig (30 October 2026)
- Fenix Rally / RBI Sport: Official website
- Road2Rally: Fenix Rally event page
- Photo 1: Jeremy Knuiman (no. 21) in stony desert, Fenix Rally 2026, stage not documented; photographer not named; original source: RallyTracks.nl, published in October 2026
- Photo 2: Jeremy Knuiman (no. 21) on sand track by the water, Fenix Rally 2026, stage not documented; photographer not named; original source: RallyTracks.nl, published in October 2026