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Fenix Rally Leg 4 Douz-Douz: Knuiman wins, Gerlach second

Published by Thomas Menzel on 29. October 2026

Last updated on 28. October 2026

Series: Fenix Rally – The doorway to Sahara

Jeremy Knuiman won Leg 4 of the Fenix Rally around Douz and, according to the provisional classification, leads the Enduro class overall. Riding a KTM, the Dutchman took 3:32:13 hours. Justin Gerlach (JG Racing, KTM) finished 4 minutes and 46 seconds later. In the overall standings, Knuiman is 1 minute and 30 seconds ahead of Gerlach. The previous day, Gerlach had still led the overall classification by 3 minutes and 16 seconds, as the added stage times in the list show. The start list and the results list date Leg 4 to 27 October 2026. The list is marked as provisional.

Douz-Douz: technical start, then open tracks

Leg 4 was a loop starting and finishing in Douz, with a total distance of 305 kilometres. According to the organiser’s Competitor Briefing, 23.63 kilometres were the liaison to the start, 270.05 kilometres the special stage and 11.32 kilometres the return to Douz.

According to the briefing, the first part was very technical, with repeated crossings, rough sections and closely spaced hazards. Between kilometres 27 and 69, the organiser demanded the highest roadbook discipline and controlled speed.

Two neutralisations interrupted the timed section. The first began at kilometre 74.09 and lasted 50 minutes. At kilometre 87.53 there was a remote service with refuelling. The second neutralisation began at kilometre 200.27, lasted 45 minutes and was located near Douz. According to the briefing, the motorcycles have a range of 150 kilometres plus a 10 per cent reserve, so the fuel stop had to be planned in.

After the service, the route became more open, with fast desert tracks and CAP navigation, meaning riding on a compass heading. In the middle section, there were passages through villages, public roads and zones with speed limits. At kilometre 181.51, a two-second compulsory stop was scheduled.

Gerlach: “It was an insanely fast day.”

Gerlach summed up the day briefly in an audio statement (translated from German): “It was an insanely fast day.” The start took him through mountains, riverbeds and stony sections with many crossings, holes and washouts. “But that was really very, very good Dakar training,” the rider said. After that, it was “basically just wide open and always at the speed limit of 130”, on slippery, gravelly and twisting tracks where he found a good rhythm.

The day was not entirely free of problems. “At the end of the stage I felt a bit of vibration in the chassis, it felt strange.” At the afternoon service, he changed the oil and air filter, had the wheels changed and checked the engine mounts. Something had come loose there, which he has now tightened.

For the next day, which he describes as very sandy with many dunes, he had fresh tyres fitted. A new Mepho tyre went on the front because the old one had a clear cut, and a Mepho H400 Sand on the rear. He also changed the fuel distribution: he left the front tank almost empty and filled mainly the rear one. By his account, there are around 13 litres at the rear and 6 litres at the front as a reserve. That is supposed to be enough for the just under 120 kilometres to the refuel. “I also learned from my mistake on the second day,” Gerlach said, adding that he hopes to sink in less in the dunes.

Stage result Enduro (provisional)

Behind the leading pair, the rest of the field lost considerable time. Daan Veenendaal (GasGas) was third, 18 minutes and 11 seconds behind. Florian Willer (KTM) finished fourth, 19 minutes and 45 seconds behind, and Richard Wijntjes (Husqvarna) fifth, 25 minutes and 14 seconds behind.

  • 1. Jeremy Knuiman (NLD, KTM): 3:32:13
  • 2. Justin Gerlach (DEU, KTM), gap (h:min:sec): +0:04:46
  • 3. Daan Veenendaal (NLD, GasGas): +0:18:11
  • 4. Florian Willer (DEU, KTM): +0:19:45
  • 5. Richard Wijntjes (NLD, Husqvarna): +0:25:14

Gaspard Delsart (FRA, KTM), fourth overall after Leg 4, took 5:06:27 hours and lost 1 hour, 34 minutes and 14 seconds to Knuiman. The list shows a penalty of 2 minutes and 30 seconds for him, but does not give the reason.

The penalty column shows a total of 13 minutes and 30 seconds for Knuiman and none for Gerlach. The list does not make clear which stages the penalties relate to or whether the times already include them.

Overall standings after Leg 4 (Enduro, provisional)

  • 1. Jeremy Knuiman (NLD, KTM): 20:35:41
  • 2. Justin Gerlach (DEU, KTM), gap (h:min:sec): +0:01:30
  • 3. Daan Veenendaal (NLD, GasGas): +0:48:18
  • 4. Gaspard Delsart (FRA, KTM): +3:01:31
  • 5. Richard Wijntjes (NLD, Husqvarna): +4:10:58
  • 6. Melek Abdelkafi (TUN, KTM): +4:15:47
  • 7. Abdelkader Mebarki (DZA, KTM): +4:33:31
  • 8. Marian Augustyn (POL, Fantic): +4:49:40
  • 9. Pascal de Baar (NLD, KTM): +4:53:41
  • 10. Sara Jugla (FRA, Kove): +5:02:20

Veenendaal is therefore 48 minutes and 18 seconds behind Knuiman and 46 minutes and 48 seconds behind Gerlach. The provisional classification lists 16 Enduro riders.

Quads

In the quad category, Adam Krysiak (Polaris) won the stage in 3:43:43 hours, 19 minutes and 47 seconds ahead of Karol Slugocki. Krysiak leads the overall standings by 1 hour, 29 minutes and 37 seconds.

German-speaking starters

Florian Willer finished Leg 4 in fourth place. Overall, he is 12th, 5 hours, 42 minutes and 3 seconds behind. According to RallyTracks.nl, on Leg 2 he was given the maximum time and received a 27-minute and 40-second penalty for speeding and six missed waypoints.

The Austrian Georg Reinprecht (Beta) finished Leg 4 in tenth place, 50 minutes and 3 seconds behind Knuiman. Overall, he is 16th. For Leg 3, the results list shows a value of 28:40:00 for him, without explanation.

Audio quote: Justin Gerlach

Sources and image credits

  • Fenix Rally Tunisia 2026 + L’Oasis Original Classic: Competitor Briefing Leg 4, Douz Loop (organiser’s PDF)
  • Geotraq, timekeeping Fenix Rally 2026: start list Leg 4, dated 27 October 2026, and provisional classification after Leg 4, printed 28 October 2026
  • Justin Gerlach: audio statement on Leg 4 (editorial recording, consent given)
  • RallyTracks.nl: Knuiman wins Fenix Rally dune stage, Thijs and Van Tiel extend their lead, 27 October 2026 (background on Leg 2)
Published inGeneral
Belgian double at the Bibione Sand Storm: Genot and Naveaux winRiders in a sand race cross a beach in a wide pack

Belgian double at the Bibione Sand Storm: Genot and Naveaux win

Published by Thomas Menzel on 28. October 2026

Series: FIM

Cyril Genot (Honda) has won the Moto class at the Bibione Sand Storm, the second round of the 2026 FIM Sand Races World Championship. The Belgian won the race on Sunday, 25 October 2026, and so took the event classification across both race days in Bibione (Italy). His compatriot Randy Naveaux (Yamaha) won the Quads on both Saturday and Sunday. This is reported by the world motorcycling federation FIM in its race report of 25 October 2026. Fredriksen remains the Moto World Championship leader despite his crash. The event was run on 24 and 25 October, according to the Italian motorcycling federation FMI.

Moto: Fredriksen’s crash decides Sunday

The Moto class ran a 90-minute race on Sunday. Dutchman Damien Knuiman (Yamaha) led at first, followed by defending champion Todd Kellett (Honda, Great Britain), Norwegian Håkon Fredriksen (Yamaha Monster Drag’on Tek), Frenchman Adrien Petit (Honda) and Genot. Fredriksen, Saturday’s winner and the championship leader, moved past Kellett and Knuiman into the lead early on, according to the FIM. The track was badly rutted after the quad race in the morning.

Genot stayed close. After nine laps he took the lead, and a lap later Fredriksen won it back under braking. On lap twelve the Norwegian crashed, and Genot pulled away. According to the FIM, he won by just under 38 seconds. Kellett, who had dropped back to fifth at one point after a slow refuelling stop, finished third: 20 seconds ahead of Knuiman, but 2 minutes and 15 seconds behind the winner. Petit was the last rider to complete 16 laps.

Riders in a sand race cross a beach in a wide pack, with sand spraying up behind them
The Moto field in the sand. Photo from the FIM report on the 2026 Bibione Sand Storm. Photo: Frederik Herregods Photography / FIM

Event classification and championship standings

With both days combined, the overall win in Bibione went to 27-year-old Genot, who had finished second on Saturday. Fredriksen was second in the event classification ahead of Knuiman and Kellett and, according to the FIM, extended his lead in the World Championship. According to Motocross.it and the FMI, Petit finished fifth. By the FIM’s own account, Genot is not yet a threat to Fredriksen in the championship, because he missed the opening round in Morocco.

Quad: Naveaux wins again

In the 60-minute quad race, the first nine riders each completed ten laps. The field stayed tightly bunched for a long time. After Briton Harry Walker (Yamaha), second on Saturday, retired after seven laps, Naveaux won by just under two and a half minutes from Belgian Oliver Vandendijck (Honda). Gleen De Swarte (Honda, Belgium) was third, more than 50 seconds further back. Dirk Schelfhout (Honda) and Frenchman Alois Waloszek (Yamaha) followed.

Schelfhout thus won the Quad Veteran class again; according to the FIM, he has won all four starts this season. Behind him, Nuno Goncalves (Yamaha, Portugal) and Axel Dutrie (Drag’on Yamaha, France) were second and third.

Moto Women: Martinez wins after Fontanesi retires

In the women’s race, guest starter Kiara Fontanesi (GASGAS) initially ran ahead of championship leader Mathilde Martinez (Honda, France). The six-time FIM Women’s Motocross World Champion retired around the halfway point. The FIM speaks of a suspected technical defect; according to the FMI and Motocross.it, her bike would not restart after the refuelling stop. Martinez, second on Saturday, won with 13 laps, one more than defending champion Mathilde Denis (Yamaha). According to the FIM, she again leaves Italy with maximum points. In the overall race classification, Martinez came 15th.

Mathilde Martinez rides a Honda with number 35 through deep sand
Mathilde Martinez at the 2026 Bibione Sand Storm. Photo: Frederik Herregods Photography, published by Infinity Sport

Veterans, Juniors and Vintage

  • Moto Veteran: Championship leader Daniel Drooghaag (KTM, Belgium), second on Saturday, won on Sunday ahead of Mathieu Reine (Yamaha) and Raphael Loridan (Yamaha) of France, and took the event classification. Saturday’s winner Maxime Jeanne (Yamaha) retired on lap seven.
  • Moto Junior: Goncalo Cardoso (KTM, Portugal) won the 45-minute Sunday race by 7 seconds from Ben Almagor (KTM, Israel). Because Almagor had won on Saturday, the event classification went to him. Defending champion Matheo Gerat (Husqvarna) was third on Sunday.
  • Moto Vintage: Pablo Henouille (Honda, France) won by one lap from Sebastien Antony (KTM) and Anthony Golleau (Honda). According to the FIM, it was his fourth win from four starts this season.

What happens next

The World Championship continues on Saturday and Sunday, 7 and 8 November 2026, with the Ronde des Sables in Loon Plage on the north French coast. The results in this article are based on the race reports of the FIM and the FMI. The official results lists could not be consulted.

Sources and photo credits

Published inAllgemeinFIM enabled

Leg 3 Douz Loop: Knuiman ahead despite overspeed penalty, Gerlach just 38 seconds behind

Published by Thomas Menzel on 28. October 2026

Last updated on 27. October 2026

Series: Fenix Rally – The doorway to Sahara

Jeremy Knuiman won the third stage of the Fenix Rally in the Enduro class on Monday, 26 October 2026. Leg 3 was a loop around Douz through the Tunisian desert. The Dutchman, on a KTM EXC 450, was around 14 minutes faster than Justin Gerlach but received a time penalty of 13 minutes and 30 seconds for speeding. According to the provisional, unofficial daily classification, the German (KTM FR 450 Rally, JG Racing) was left just 38 seconds behind him.

The stage: 405 kilometres of timed special around Douz

According to the roadbook, the day covered a total of 564 kilometres. An 11.50-kilometre liaison to the start was followed by a special stage of 405.55 kilometres, and then another 146.45 kilometres of liaison back. Fenix Rally motorcycles, quads and SSVs covered the same route as the classics of the L’Oasis Original Classic. The organiser’s briefing says the loop was long and demanding: fast tracks, rough and rutted trails, sand, and long sections that can only be navigated by compass heading (CAP).

The biggest topic in the briefing was fuel. For motorcycles and quads, the organiser assumes a range of 150 kilometres plus 10 per cent. At kilometre 172.89 of the special there was a service zone where riders refuelled themselves. At kilometre 257.50 came a 20-minute neutralisation with a fuel station run by the organisation. All motorcycles had to refuel there, as around 148 kilometres remained to the finish of the special. The briefing named the level crossings between kilometre 327.02 and 332.03 as the trickiest section, marked several times with the highest hazard level, “Danger !!!”.

Rally motorcycle rider on an enduro bike in the sand dunes near Douz
Archive photo, not from 26 October 2026: motorcycle in the dunes of the Fenix Rally. Photo: photographer not named / Fenix Rally (RBI Sport)

Enduro daily result: penalty almost decides the stage win

In start-list order, Knuiman set off first at 06:30, with Gerlach following a minute later. Without the penalty, Knuiman would have won the stage comfortably; his pure riding time was around 14 minutes ahead of Gerlach’s. With the 13 minutes and 30 seconds of penalty, a lead of 38 seconds remained. Daan Veenendaal (GasGas 500, De Baar Rally Team) took third place without a penalty, 3 minutes and 48 seconds behind Knuiman.

Several other riders also received penalties for speeding (“overspeed”). Pascal de Baar got 27 minutes, Melek Abdelkafi 19 minutes and 30 seconds, Florian Willer 17 minutes and Marian Augustyn 15 minutes. All figures come from the provisional, unofficial classification; no official final result for the stage was available.

Leg 3, Enduro class, top 6 (provisional, unofficial; gap in h:min:sec, times including penalties)

  1. Jeremy Knuiman (NLD, KTM EXC 450): 6:15:41.63, including 13:30 penalty (overspeed)
  2. Justin Gerlach (DEU, KTM FR 450 Rally): +0:00:38
  3. Daan Veenendaal (NLD, GasGas 500): +0:03:48
  4. Florian Willer (DEU, KTM 450 EXC): +0:35:29, including 17:00 penalty (overspeed)
  5. Gaspard Delsart (FRA, KTM 500 EXC-F): +0:41:31
  6. Marian Augustyn (POL, Fantic XEF 450): +1:09:48, including 15:00 penalty (overspeed)

Behind them came the Tunisians Taher Fourati and Ghilane Benabdennour and the Dutchman Richard Wijntjes, all with a gap of just over 1 hour and 11 minutes. Sara Jugla (Kove 450 Rally) finished 11th. Firas Guidara received a 2-minute penalty for a missed waypoint (marked WPM). 14 Enduro riders were classified; the Austrian Georg Reinprecht and number 31 are listed as did not start (DNS). The results list gives no reason.

Gerlach: tablet fails after the fuel stop

In the evening, Justin Gerlach explained where he had lost time. “I lost 14 minutes to Jeremy today in the daily classification,” he said (translated from German). Up to the fuel stop before the last 150 kilometres it had only been three minutes, “I can live with that”. After that, the technology let him down: “But then my tablet dropped out again and I basically had to follow tracks and lost time” (translated from German).

Thanks to Knuiman’s penalty, the day ended up looking better for him. Gerlach spoke of a 36-second gap, while the classification shows 38 seconds. By his own account, he is still leading the overall standings. “It’s not over until the last kilometre has been ridden,” Gerlach said. “So I’m riding my own race.” (translated from German). The editorial team has not yet been able to see an overall standing with gaps after Leg 3, so Gerlach’s statement on the overall lead is not independently confirmed here.

Rally motorcycle rider kicking up a cloud of sand while riding through a dune
Archive photo from the Fenix Rally 2021, not an image from 26 October 2026. Photo: photographer not named / RBI Sport

German-speaking starters

Alongside Gerlach, Florian Willer (KTM 450 EXC) also made the top 5. He finished fourth despite a 17-minute penalty for speeding. Georg Reinprecht from Austria (Beta RR 390) was on the Leg 3 start list with a start time of 06:46, but is listed as did not start in the classification.

L’Oasis classic motorcycles

The historic motorcycles of the L’Oasis Original Classic rode the same loop. In the M2005 class, Gaspard Albanel (KTM) won in 7 hours, 42 minutes and 14 seconds, ahead of Edouard Gager, 31 minutes and 21 seconds behind, and Ludovic Gager, 33 minutes and 7 seconds behind. Pieter Boudrez (Yamaha) was the only rider in the M85 class and took 9 hours, 2 minutes and 37 seconds, including a 2-minute penalty for a missed waypoint.

About the rally

The Fenix Rally runs from 23 to 31 October 2026, based in Douz (Road2Rally, Fenix Rally). The organiser is RBI Sport; the 2026 edition runs together with the L’Oasis L’Original. According to Tunisie-Tribune, it is the sixth edition. More than 2,200 kilometres are to be covered over seven competition days.

Soundbite: Justin Gerlach

Sources and photo credits

  • Fenix Rally 2026 / L’Oasis Original Classic: Competitor Briefing Leg 3, Douz Loop (organiser document, held by the editorial team)
  • Fenix Rally 2026: start list Leg 3, as of 26.10.2026, 21:50 (timekeeping, held by the editorial team)
  • Fenix Rally 2026: Partial Unofficial Classification L3 (provisional, unofficial classification from timekeeping, held by the editorial team)
  • Justin Gerlach: audio statement from the evening of 26.10.2026 (held by the editorial team)
  • Fenix Rally (RBI Sport): fenix-rally.com
  • Road2Rally, Fenix Rally event page: road2rally.de/events/fenix-rally/
  • Tunisie-Tribune, 22.10.2026: La Tunisie accueille la 6ᵉ édition du Fenix Rally 2026
  • Photo 1: motorcyclist in the dunes, archive photo; photographer not named; rights holder Fenix Rally (RBI Sport); source: fenix-rally.com; date of photo unknown
  • Photo 2: motorcyclist with number 6 in a dune, archive photo from the Fenix Rally 2021; photographer not named; rights holder RBI Sport; source: rbi-sport.com/fenix-rally/; exact date of photo unknown
Published inGeneral
Diego Demelchori announces comeback: Desafío Ruta 40 in his sightsRally rider on a green Kawasaki with number 24 crossing a sand dune in front of mountains

Diego Demelchori announces comeback: Desafío Ruta 40 in his sights

Published by Thomas Menzel on 28. October 2026

Diego Demelchori wants to race motorcycles again. The rally rider from the Argentine province of Catamarca has announced his return after a lengthy break due to injuries, according to a report by the public broadcaster Catamarca Radio y Televisión on 23 October 2026. The report names the Desafío Ruta 40, races referred to as “Saar” and other competitions as his targets.

The report gives no specific dates, team or motorcycle. Whether Demelchori has already entered any particular event therefore remains open. It is also unclear what “Saar” refers to: neither Catamarca Radio y Televisión nor El Monterizo (21 October 2026) and Que Pasa Noticias (22 October 2026) explain the term further. Both outlets report the announcement with almost identical content; the Que Pasa Noticias text is largely word for word the same as the broadcaster’s report.

Rally rider on a green Kawasaki with number 24 crossing a sand dune in front of mountains
Photo published with the report on Demelchori’s return; location and date of the photo not stated, no recent picture confirmed. Photo: photographer not named, via Catamarca Radio y Televisión

Desafío Ruta 40 as a possible target

The Desafío Ruta 40 is the Argentine cross-country rally that counted in 2026 as the third round of the W2RC World Rally-Raid Championship. According to El Esquiu, the 2026 edition started on Sunday 24 May, with San Juan and San Rafael (Mendoza) as stage locations. The total distance was 2,939 kilometres, of which 1,522 kilometres were timed special stages. Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) won the motorcycle category. Alongside the world championship classes there were Open classes and, with the Desafío Ansenuza, a category for amateurs. The announcement does not say in which class or at which edition Demelchori intends to compete.

Five Dakar starts on a motorcycle

According to Catamarca Radio y Televisión, Demelchori is the first and so far only motorcyclist from Catamarca to have started the Dakar Rally five times. The report does not name the individual years. The broadcaster highlights the 2013 Dakar, which ran through Peru, Argentina and Chile, as the high point of his career. He is said to have finished 19th on stage eight and thus been the best Argentine of the day. In the overall motorcycle classification he finished 45th, which the broadcaster describes as the third-best Argentine.

Contemporary reports add to the picture: the local newspaper El Esquiu wrote on 4 January 2013 that Demelchori was contesting his second Dakar on a Kawasaki for Team RPM. The 2013 Dakar was therefore not his first participation; whether and when he started again afterwards is not documented in detail by the current reports.

Motorcyclist with number 164 raising an arm at a ceremony on a town square, surrounded by officials and spectators
Archive photo: rider with number 164 at a rally ceremony, published with the report on Demelchori; event and year not stated. Photo: photographer not named, via Que Pasa Noticias

Working as an FIM instructor during the break

According to the broadcaster’s report, Demelchori did not stay entirely away from motorsport during his recovery either. He works as an instructor for the world motorcycling federation FIM in training, and for years has organised events, workshops and training courses in Catamarca to promote motorcycle sport in the province. The reports available do not say which injuries forced him to take a break or when he last competed in a race.

Sources and image credits

Published inGeneral
Dakar 2027 leaves Saudi Arabia: Morocco is tipped, but only the departure is officialKTM rally rider with number 73 on the crest of a sand dune

Dakar 2027 leaves Saudi Arabia: Morocco is tipped, but only the departure is official

Published by Thomas Menzel on 27. October 2026

Series: Dakar 2027

The 49th Dakar Rally will not be held in Saudi Arabia. Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) and the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) announced this on Sunday, 25 October 2026, in a joint statement. The rally had originally been planned in the Kingdom from 1 to 15 January 2027. As of 27 October 2026, the organiser had not announced where it will go instead. Several media outlets consistently name Morocco, with a prologue in Spain or Portugal. A.S.O. has not confirmed the country, route or dates.

What is officially confirmed

The statement attributes the decision to leave Saudi Arabia to recent developments in the region. A.S.O. describes the decision as “exceptional and one-off” (translated from English). According to the organiser, it was taken in close coordination with the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) and with the support of the FIA and FIM.

The Dakar 2027 has not been cancelled. According to Rallye-Magazin and Speedweek, A.S.O. intends to organise the event itself in another country and to announce the new venue in the coming days. It says it is already in direct contact with participants, teams and partners. The return is firmly agreed: Saudi Arabia is due to host the 50th edition in 2028.

KTM rally rider with number 73 on the crest of a sand dune
KTM factory rider with number 73, according to the file name Edgar Canet at the Rallye du Maroc 2026 (stage 3). Not a photo of the Dakar 2027. Photo: Hero, Edo Bauer, Honda (collective credit, individual attribution not given), via nl.motocrossmag.be

Morocco, ferry, new dates: what is being reported

The Morocco option has been circulating since 20 October 2026. RMC Sport picked up a report from the Spanish newspaper Marca at the time: a prologue on 9 January in Spain or Portugal, followed by around twelve competition days in Morocco until 22 January. A French rider told RMC Sport that A.S.O. had informed the team managers by phone, but not him directly. The Belgian Motocross Mag wrote on 21 October, citing several sources, that A.S.O. had told teams and riders about a prologue in Spain or Portugal followed by a ferry crossing to Morocco. motor.nl reports the same and also cites unnamed sources.

Even after the official statement, Morocco remains media information. Rallye-Magazin cites the news agency Reuters, according to which the rally could start in Spain or Portugal and cross to Morocco by ferry. The Brazilian rally Sertões calls Morocco the probable destination and notes that the official announcement is still pending. It relies on European press reports and statements from participants.

All the reports mentioned give 9 to 22 January 2027 as the period, that is, Saturday to Friday. A.S.O. has not confirmed this.

Conflicting information on format and distance

The reports differ on the scope of the event:

  • Motocross Mag and motor.nl: prologue, twelve stages, one rest day and one marathon stage, around 4,900 kilometres in total. The reports do not make clear whether this refers to the total distance or only to the timed kilometres.
  • RMC Sport (citing Marca): 13 days and around 4,300 kilometres, without a marathon stage.
  • Sertões: prologue, twelve stages and around 4,000 kilometres of special stages.

On a marathon stage, riders spend the night without the support of their service teams. By comparison, according to Motocross Mag and motor.nl, A.S.O. presented a route for the Saudi Arabian edition in May with 5,320 timed kilometres, starting and finishing in King Abdullah Economic City.

Rally rider on a Hero motorcycle with number 11 kicking up a dust trail in front of a rocky mountain
Hero team rider with number 11 on a gravel track. Archive photo, location and date not given. Photo: Hero, Edo Bauer, Honda (collective credit, individual attribution not given), via nl.motocrossmag.be

Name, entry deadline and scrutineering

The rally is said to be allowed to keep the name “Dakar” despite the contracts with Saudi Arabia. RMC Sport reports consent from the Saudi authorities, even though the contract signed in 2019 contains a corresponding clause. According to Motocross Mag and motor.nl, whether vehicle scrutineering takes place as planned in Santa Susanna and Barcelona is being reviewed. The same changes are said to apply to the Dakar Classic. Both Dutch-language outlets give 16 November 2026 as the entry deadline. There is likewise still no official statement from the organiser on this.

Motocross Mag had expected the official route presentation on 26 or 27 October. At the time of going to press on 27 October 2026, no announcement of the new host country could be found on the Dakar news page.

Background: security situation and a return to Africa?

According to Speedweek, those responsible judged the situation too unsafe because of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia. RMC Sport cites as the trigger an attack on a passenger terminal at Riyadh airport on 10 October 2026, attributed to Yemeni Houthi rebels. Sertões also points out that a large part of the planned route would have run close to the border with Yemen. The rally is not the only event affected. According to Rallye-Magazin, the world championship round planned for November in Saudi Arabia was cancelled in September, followed on 19 October by the cancellation of the Saudi round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship.

If the Morocco option goes ahead, the Dakar would run on African soil for the first time since 2007. The 2008 edition was cancelled for security reasons. From 2009 to 2019 the rally was held in South America, and since 2020 exclusively in Saudi Arabia.

For privateers, a decision on the host country would above all be a question of planning. Motocross Mag and motor.nl write that technical preparation, the search for sponsors and training had been particularly difficult without a confirmed country.

Sources and image credits

Published inAllgemeinNewsRally
Morocco N Roll about to start, roadbook dates in Chile and Catalonia, Rodriguez wins Rally PoeiraRider on a classic Honda XL enduro bike off-road, archive photo from the Classic Raid TT/Trail

Morocco N Roll about to start, roadbook dates in Chile and Catalonia, Rodriguez wins Rally Poeira

Published by Thomas Menzel on 27. October 2026

+++ News Flash +++

  • Morocco N Roll: According to Nomadas Adventure, start in five days; late entries and rental motorcycles available
  • Raid ADV Experience 2026: Roadbook event in Pichilemu (Chile) on 6 and 7 November
  • Classic Raid TT/Trail 2026: 100 kilometres without timekeeping for classics up to model year 2000 on 14 November
  • Rally Poeira 2026: Nicolas Rodriguez wins the motorcycle category in Brazil

+++++++++++++++

+++++ Morocco N Roll: start in five days, according to Nomadas Adventure

There are said to be five days left until the start of the Morocco N Roll in Morocco. Nomadas Adventure says so in an Instagram post of 26 October 2026. Counted from that date, this would be around 31 October. However, the post gives no official start date, route or entry deadline, and there is no organiser source for this. According to Nomadas Adventure, late registrations are still being accepted. Help with accommodation is available, but participants pay the costs themselves. Anyone unable to bring their own motorcycle can, according to the post, rent a rally bike. The digital roadbooks, meaning the navigation documents for the route, are said to come from Pistapilot.

+++++ Raid ADV Experience 2026 on 6 and 7 November in Chile

The Raid ADV Experience 2026 is due to take place on 6 and 7 November in Pichilemu (Chile). RAID ADV Roadbook Challenge (Chile) announced this in an Instagram post of 24 October 2026. A complete package is planned, with a roadbook route, the Terrapirata app, accommodation in cabins, meals, paramedics throughout the event, route assistance and photos for the riders. There is a special price for accompanying persons. The post gives no entry fee in figures. Registration is via raidadv.cl. The organiser itself describes Raid ADV as the first rally for adventure and multi-purpose bikes in Chile.

+++++ Classic Raid TT/Trail 2026: classics up to model year 2000 on 14 November

The seventh Classic Raid TT/Trail takes place on Saturday, 14 November 2026, in Sant Mori (Girona). Soymotero.net reported this on 30 September 2026, citing the organiser AM Tours. Trail and enduro motorcycles up to model year 2000 are eligible, provided they are registered and have compulsory insurance. The route is 100 kilometres long and is ridden without timekeeping using a roadbook, on paper or via an app. Four to five hours of riding time are scheduled.

The start is from 9am after the compulsory briefing at Sant Mori town hall, with arrival back there planned between 2pm and 3pm. The route heads north to the Darnius-Boadella reservoir and along the River Muga. The entry fee is 80 euros and includes a roadbook, shirt, welcome pack, prize draws and a meal.

+++++ Rally Poeira 2026: Nicolas Rodriguez wins the motorcycle category

Nicolas Rodriguez (Pro Tech Racing) won the motorcycle category at the 8th Rally Poeira on 17 and 18 October 2026 in Igaraçu do Tietê (São Paulo). According to Motomundo, he was fastest on his Honda CRF 450 X in all four special stages, with a total time of 2 hours, 24 minutes and 3.92 seconds. The event counted as rounds 7 and 8 of the Campeonato Brasileiro de Rally Baja. According to Motomundo, Rodriguez said he had won his class and the overall standings and is therefore going into the final round relaxed on points (paraphrased translation). The report does not say who finished behind him.

In the UTV category, Bruno Varela (Varela Rally) won all special stages in a Can-Am Maverick R with a time of 2 hours, 14 minutes and 40.91 seconds. Kaique Bentivoglio (Cotton Racing / Polaris ONE) was second, 52.09 seconds behind, and Conrado Matsumoto (Cotton Racing) third, 5 minutes and 13.83 seconds behind.

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Tyre choice for rally raids: How the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team fits the Ténéré 700Rally rider on a Yamaha Ténéré 700 with race number 524 on a sandy track between dry shrubs

Tyre choice for rally raids: How the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team fits the Ténéré 700

Published by Thomas Menzel on 27. October 2026

A Michelin Enduro Medium 2 at the front, a Michelin Desert Race at the rear, and Bib Mousse in both tyres instead of an inner tube: this is how the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team and Ténéré Spirit Experience describe the tyre set-up of their Ténéré 700 for desert rallies. The details appear in a Ténéré Spirit Experience post dated 23 October 2026. According to the team, the equipment is used in rally raids such as the Africa Eco Race, which the post gives as more than 6,000 kilometres from Tangier to Dakar, and the Carta Rallye in Morocco.

The post gives its reasoning right at the start, here in a German-to-English translation: “In a rally raid, a puncture can cost you a stage or even the whole race.” Grip, durability and reliability are therefore decisive, it says.

The set-up at a glance

According to the team, the following tyre set-up applies to the Ténéré 700 GYTR and the Ténéré 700 World Raid GYTR (referred to in the post as “WR GYTR”). GYTR is Yamaha’s programme for racing and accessory parts.

  • Front wheel: Michelin Enduro Medium 2 in 90/100-21 with Bib Mousse M16
  • Rear wheel: Michelin Desert Race in 140/80-18 with Bib Mousse M02
  • Rims: reinforced wheels from Haan Wheels with Excel rims, 21 x 1.85 at the front, 18 x 2.50 at the rear

The team describes the Enduro Medium 2 as a versatile enduro tyre that remains precise to steer on both hard and soft ground. The Desert Race is designed for rally raids, and its carcass is meant to withstand thousands of kilometres of track. These are the team’s own assessments, not independent test results. To put the size designation in context: in 140/80-18, 140 is the tyre width in millimetres, 80 is the sidewall height as a percentage of the width, here around 112 millimetres, and 18 is the rim diameter in inches.

Front wheel of a blue Yamaha Ténéré 700 with a Michelin enduro tyre, black Excel rim and brake disc against a desert backdrop
Archive photo: front wheel of a rally Ténéré 700 with Michelin tyre and Excel rim, taken at the 2025 Africa Eco Race according to the file name. The photo does not necessarily show exactly the set-up described. Photo: Edo Bauer/EdoPhoto (according to file name), via Ténéré Spirit Experience

Bib Mousse instead of an inner tube

The Michelin Bib Mousse is a foam insert that replaces the inner tube. A puncture caused by air loss is therefore ruled out, and the team calls the solution “100 per cent puncture-proof” (translated). The insert corresponds to an air pressure of roughly 1.0 to 1.2 bar, which the post gives as the ideal range for grip, traction and damping off-road. Because no tube is fitted, the team says pinch flats on rocks, where the tube is trapped between rim and tyre, are also eliminated, as are repairs at the side of the track. Each tyre size has its own Mousse variant: M16 for the 90/100-21 at the front, M02 for the 140/80-18 “Desert” at the rear.

Why the standard rims are not enough

According to the team, the rally tyres themselves can also be fitted to the Ténéré 700’s original rims. The post names two limitations: the Bib Mousse and the strength of the rims.

From the factory, the Ténéré 700 rolls on a 90/90-21 at the front and a 150/70-18 at the rear, the team says. The standard rear rim is correspondingly wide. The Mousse M02, by contrast, is intended for a 140/80-18 on a considerably narrower enduro rim and, according to the post, does not work as intended on the original rim. Durability is another issue: in the team’s assessment, the standard rims cope poorly with repeated rock impacts at racing pace. For this reason, the team’s motorcycles run on reinforced wheels from Haan Wheels.

Several rally riders, with a Ténéré 700 with race number 524 in front, on a sandy track between dry shrubs
Archive photo: motorcycles on a sandy track, with a Ténéré 700 in front carrying race number 524. The location and date of the photo are not given on the source page. Photo: photographer not named, via Ténéré Spirit Experience

A compromise for standard wheels

According to the post, anyone who does not want to change wheels can fit the Enduro Medium 2 in 90/100-21 and the Desert Race in 140/80-18 to the original rims, but then with reinforced inner tubes instead of Bib Mousse. In this case these are mandatory, as their considerably thicker wall offers better protection against punctures and pinch flats. The team nevertheless recommends a complete repair kit with spare tubes, tyre levers and a pump, since even a reinforced tube can burst. For racing, the team considers reinforced rims the right solution.

The post should be seen as a presentation in the team’s own interest: at the end of the text, Ténéré Spirit Experience offers rally-prepared Ténéré 700 rentals as well as assistance, including reinforced wheels. The assessments of the tyres and rims come from the team itself.

Sources and photo credits

Text source:
Ténéré Spirit Experience: “Which Tires for a Desert Rally-Raid on a Trail Bike?”, 23 October 2026, tenere-spirit-experience.com

Photos:

  • Front wheel of a rally Ténéré 700 with Michelin tyre and Excel rim. Photographer: Edo Bauer/EdoPhoto (according to file name). Original source: Ténéré Spirit Experience. Taken at the 2025 Africa Eco Race according to file name, published on the site on 23 October 2026. Archive photo.
  • Ténéré 700 and other motorcycles on a sandy track. Photographer not named. Original source: Ténéré Spirit Experience. Date and location not given. Archive photo.
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Fenix Rally Leg 2 Douz: Knuiman wins the dune stage narrowly ahead of Gerlach

Published by Thomas Menzel on 27. October 2026

Last updated on 26. October 2026

Series: Fenix Rally – The doorway to Sahara

Jeremy Knuiman won the second stage of the Fenix Rally in Tunisia in the Enduro class on Monday, 26 October 2026. The Dutchman on a KTM EXC 450 (Team Knuiman) finished in 6 hours, 15 minutes and 43.5 seconds. Justin Gerlach (JG Racing, KTM) was second, 2 minutes and 8 seconds behind. This is according to the organiser’s provisional, unofficial partial results for Leg 2 from the evening of 26 October. There is a big gap behind the two: Daan Veenendaal (De Baar Rally Team, GasGas 500) lost 24 minutes and 39 seconds to the stage winner as third.

The rally’s first real dunes

A press report from the Belgian Feryn Rally Raid Team, published by Autosportwereld, describes the stage as a test in the style of a classic Dakar stage. On Monday morning the participants entered the dunes for the first time, followed by demanding sections with camel grass and fast tracks towards the end of the day. The special stage was interrupted by a neutralisation, that is, a pause whose duration does not count towards riding time. The organiser has so far not publicly released the exact length of the special stage and the liaison sections.

Rally motorcyclist on a Husqvarna riding along a dune crest in the Tunisian Sahara
Archive photo: motorcycle in the dunes at a previous edition of the Fenix Rally, not from 26 October 2026. Photo: Fenix Rally / RBI Sport, photographer not named. Source: fenix-rally.com

Gerlach: stuck ten times, technology fails

According to the start list, Gerlach started the stage at 8:00 am as the first of the motorcycle field, with Knuiman two minutes later as third. The German describes a hard day in a voice message from the evening. “A brutal day, honestly,” he says. The first roughly 50 kilometres went well, with steady pace and clean navigation, although the remote control of his roadbook had already failed there. After that he had to advance it by hand at the roadbook holder.

The middle section went through the dunes, which he describes as small-scale and hard to ride. “I think I got the bike stuck ten times, ten times I dug the bike out. It was really bad,” says Gerlach. In the last section, by his account, the navigation tablet also kept failing, with a black display and restarts. “So it could no longer be relied on.”

That is where Knuiman caught him. In his own words, Gerlach decided to stay with the Dutchman and give everything until the finish rather than let him go. That paid off. His summary: “The two of us will decide it up front.” In the evening, according to Gerlach, the bike needed only “little things, service, oil change, air filter”.

Top 5 of the Enduro class on Leg 2

Provisional, unofficial stage results (partial results from the organiser dated 26 October 2026). Time and gap to the stage winner in the format h:min:sec.

  1. Jeremy Knuiman (No. 21, NLD, KTM EXC 450): 6:15:43.50
  2. Justin Gerlach (No. 11, DEU, KTM FR 450 Rally): 6:17:51.44, gap +0:02:08
  3. Daan Veenendaal (No. 14, NLD, GasGas 500): 6:40:22.42, gap +0:24:39
  4. Gaspard Delsart (No. 19, FRA, KTM 500 EXC-F): 6:48:42.15, gap +0:32:59
  5. Abdelkader Mebarki (No. 32, DZA, KTM): 7:52:29.23, gap +1:36:46

The list shows 2 minutes of penalty time each for Veenendaal and Delsart, and 4 minutes for Mebarki. The list does not make clear whether these penalties are already included in the times given. All 16 Enduro riders who started are listed in the daily results.

Overall standings: Gerlach sees himself still ahead

No official overall classification after Leg 2 was available at the editorial deadline on the evening of 26 October. By Gerlach’s own account, he still leads the Enduro class. Before the stage, his lead over Knuiman was around six minutes. According to the stage results, Knuiman made up 2 minutes and 8 seconds on Leg 2; Gerlach himself spoke of just under 2 minutes and 15 seconds. On paper he would therefore still have a lead of just under four minutes, but confirmation by the official overall classification is pending. After the prologue, Knuiman had led the Enduro class.

Rally motorcyclist with number 6 riding through a cloud of sand in the dunes
Archive photo: motorcyclist at the 2021 Fenix Rally in Tunisia, not from 26 October 2026. Photo: RBI Sport, photographer not named. Source: rbi-sport.com

Tough day for Florian Willer

The second German motorcycle starter, Florian Willer (No. 9, KTM 450 EXC, own team), started as seventh at 8:06 am according to the start list. In the stage results he is listed in 16th place and thus last in the Enduro class, with 10 hours, 47 minutes and 40 seconds and a gap of 4 hours, 31 minutes and 57 seconds. The list notes MAXTIME for him, meaning scoring with a maximum time, plus OVERSPEED (speeding), the entry WPM(6) and 27 minutes and 40 seconds of penalty time. The list gives no reasons for the time loss, and no statement from Willer was available.

Austrian Georg Reinprecht (No. 24, Beta RR 390) fared similarly. He is listed in 15th place, 4 hours, 17 minutes and 47 seconds behind Knuiman, also with the entries MAXTIME and OVERSPEED, plus WPM(1) and 13 minutes and 30 seconds of penalty time.

Sources and photo credits

  • Fenix Rally 2026 (RBI Sport): provisional, unofficial partial results for Leg 2 dated 26.10.2026 and start list for Leg 2 dated 25.10.2026, held by the editorial team as PDFs
  • Justin Gerlach: voice message from the evening of 26.10.2026, held by the editorial team with his consent
  • Autosportwereld: Fenix Rally: een bewogen dag voor Pascal Feryn en Koen Wauters (26.10.2026, press report of the Feryn Rally Raid Team)
  • Road2Rally: Fenix Rally event page
  • Fenix Rally: official website
  • Photo 1: motorcycle in the dunes, archive photo of a previous Fenix Rally; rights holder Fenix Rally / RBI Sport, photographer not named; source: fenix-rally.com; date of photo unknown
  • Photo 2: motorcyclist with number 6 in the dunes, archive photo of the 2021 Fenix Rally; rights holder RBI Sport, photographer not named; source: rbi-sport.com
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Addax Rally 2026: Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team prepares for the 2027 Africa Eco Race in MerzougaRider on a blue Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally on a dune crest in the desert

Addax Rally 2026: Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team prepares for the 2027 Africa Eco Race in Merzouga

Published by Thomas Menzel on 26. October 2026

The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team is entering Alessandro Botturi, Gautier Paulin and Kevin Gallas in the Addax Rally 2026 in Morocco. The event around Merzouga runs from 25 to 30 October 2026. According to the team, the focus is less on winning than on preparing for the 2027 Africa Eco Race. That is the main aim of the programme with the Ténéré 700 Rally. The team announcement has been published by, among others, Rally Raid Network (credited there to Yamaha Rally) and Motopress.

Prologue on 25 October, then five stages

The rally begins on Sunday, 25 October 2026, with scrutineering and the prologue. Five stages follow from Monday, 26 October, to Friday, 30 October. The paddock and service area remain in Merzouga throughout the event. According to the official organiser information, the Addax Rally covers around 1,600 kilometres through southern Morocco. Racing takes place on sandy tracks, rocky trails and in the dunes of the Erg Chebbi. The starting point and headquarters is the Nasser Palace Hotel in Merzouga. The organiser also gives approximate stage lengths by class: around 400 kilometres in the Elite class and around 300 kilometres in the PRO class. The sources consulted do not say how many of the 1,600 kilometres are timed special stages and how many are liaison sections. They also do not state which class the Yamaha riders are entered in.

No results were yet available on the organiser’s results page on 25 October 2026.

Rider on a blue Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally on a dune crest in the desert
A Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally in the dunes. The date and location of the photo are not given in the source. Photo: photographer not named, via Motopress

Three test days in Erfoud

Before the start, the team tested for three days in Erfoud, by its own account. The work covered suspension set-up, navigation with the roadbook, the route book containing the riding instructions, engine mapping and further detail changes to the Ténéré 700 Rally. Team manager Marc Bourgeois describes the Addax Rally as the last event before the Africa Eco Race. What has been learned is to be put into practice there under race conditions. It is also about riders, mechanics and team working as one unit over five days of competition.

Kevin Gallas says the test days were his first chance to test properly with the team. In a translation from English, he says: “Our goal is not to win at all costs. It is really about preparing for the AER and improving as much as possible.” Gautier Paulin highlights the time with the roadbook and navigation that the rally gives him ahead of the Africa Eco Race.

The line-up

  • Kevin Gallas is, according to the team, the defending Addax Rally champion. The German won the 2025 edition after a close duel with Botturi. The Italian retired on the final stage with a technical failure.
  • Alessandro Botturi has won the Africa Eco Race twice, according to the team. In the 2026 season he took the Italian motorally championship title in the G-1000 class and won the Swank Rally di Sardegna.
  • Gautier Paulin is a former MXGP rider and has won the Motocross of Nations five times. Since switching, he has competed in rally raid, meaning long-distance cross-country rallies with navigation.
Rally rider on a blue Yamaha descending a sand dune on the Atlantic coast
Archive photo: A Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally on a coastal dune. The picture is not from the 2026 Addax Rally in Merzouga; date not given. Photo: photographer not named, via Rally Raid Network (credit given in the report: Yamaha Rally)

The 2026 season so far

According to a team statement, Gallas won the Africa Eco Race in February 2026 after almost 6,000 kilometres, with a 41-second lead over his team-mate Paulin. Botturi dropped back after a technical problem and then supported his team-mates. He still won a stage and finished 7th overall. At the Carta Rallye in Morocco in April 2026, Gallas was second overall, Paulin third and Botturi fifth.

The team is competing in partnership with Riders for Health, a project supported by Two Wheels for Life. The details on season results and goals are statements by the team. No independent verification was available for this report.

Sources and photo credits

  • Rally Raid Network (Milay Martins): “Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team Ready for Addax Rally”, 24 October 2026, credited to Yamaha Rally. Link
  • Motopress: “Addax Rally 2026: Yamaha prepara l’Africa Eco Race”, 23 October 2026. Link
  • Total Motorcycle: “Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team Ready for Addax Rally”, 24 October 2026. Link
  • Addax Rally (organiser): “Info Ed. 2026”. Link
  • Addax Rally (organiser): “Classifications”, as of 25 October 2026. Link
  • Photo 1 (dunes, number 71): Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally in the desert. Photographer not named. Original source: Motopress, published on 23 October 2026. Date of photo not given. No licence details given in the source.
  • Photo 2 (coastal dune): Yamaha Ténéré 700 Rally, archive photo. Photographer not named. Original source: Rally Raid Network, published on 24 October 2026, credit given in the report: Yamaha Rally. Date of photo not given. No licence details given in the source.
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Seppele plans Africa Eco Race on a KTM, Debeljuh set for Baja debut on the RVM Tekken 550Two rally riders stand next to two KTM 690 Rally bikes in a field, with a castle on a wooded hill in the background.

Seppele plans Africa Eco Race on a KTM, Debeljuh set for Baja debut on the RVM Tekken 550

Published by Thomas Menzel on 26. October 2026

+++ News Flash +++

  • Luca Seppele: Carinthian announces Africa Eco Race 2027 on a KTM 690 Rally
  • Nomadas Adventure: 2027 rally training camps in Erfoud, three dates in March and April
  • Joaquín Debeljuh: Baja debut in San Luis on the RVM Tekken 550
  • Tuareg Rallye: Organiser’s website lists €3,690 entry fee for motorcycles, edition and price date unclear
  • MST Rally: Navigation tower for the Aprilia Tuareg 660, price not stated

+++++++++++++++

+++++ Seppele announces Africa Eco Race 2027 on a KTM 690 Rally

Luca Seppele from Krumpendorf plans to start the Africa Eco Race for the third time in early 2027, this time on a KTM 690 Rally for the first time. This is reported by 5min.at on 22 October 2026. According to the report, the 34-year-old has been a KTM test rider since 2022, but rode the past two editions privately on bikes from other manufacturers. “Starting the next Africa Eco Race on a KTM is a little dream come true for me,” Seppele told the outlet.

The project is again run through a team from Milan, this time reinforced, according to 5min.at, by factory know-how and a KTM mechanic from Mattighofen. His team-mate is three-time European rally champion Matteo Bottino. The report names a place among the leaders as the goal, and a desert test for fine-tuning is planned before Christmas. There is not yet an official 2027 entry list from the organiser, so the start remains an announcement for now.

+++++ Nomadas training camps 2027 in Erfoud

In an Instagram post of 20 October 2026, Nomadas Adventure announced three rally training camps in Erfoud, Morocco, for 2027: 8 to 12 March, 22 to 26 March and 5 to 9 April. According to the organiser, each camp runs from Monday to Friday with training in roadbook work, compass courses and time controls in the dunes, for a maximum of eight riders and with the same hotel every evening. The motorcycle is included according to the post, which does not state a price. According to Nomadas, a few places are still available for 23 November 2026. This is a promotional offer by the organiser, and no independent accounts are available.

+++++ Debeljuh starts the Baja 250 San Francisco on a new RVM

Joaquín Debeljuh Taruselli competes in the Baja 250 San Francisco in San Francisco del Monte de Oro, in Argentina’s San Luis province, on Saturday and Sunday, 24 and 25 October 2026. This is reported by La Opinión on 20 October 2026 for the following weekend. It is his first start in the Baja Argentina Series. For it, the Argentine and Latin American champion is temporarily switching from the RVM 450 Rally R, with which he leads the motorcycle standings of the Argentine rally raid championship CANAV, to an RVM Tekken 550. “A new challenge begins. But this time not everything will be as we knew it,” he wrote on social media, according to La Opinión (translated from Spanish).

Unlike in classic rally raid, a Baja has no roadbook; the course is fully staked out and marked. According to the report, scrutineering and a 17-kilometre qualifying section to set the starting order take place on Saturday, with the main race on Sunday. The event covers 250 kilometres in total, with three refuelling stops. According to La Opinión, Debeljuh is using the race as a test before the end of the season; the SARR Series is scheduled for 25 to 29 November in San Juan province.

+++++ Tuareg Rallye: entry fees on the organiser’s website, edition unclear

The English website of the Tuareg Rallye lists an entry fee of €3,690 for motorcycles in the Pro Dune, Pro, Expert and Raid classes. Quad, electric motorcycle and adventure bike (motorcycles over 200 kilograms, Expert and Raid classes) cost the same there; SSV and car cost €5,390. The Malle Moto package, with motorcycle transport by the organiser from a loading point near Ulm, is listed at €4,190, including catering and transport of two crates, with overnight stays in one’s own tent. A package at €4,080 covers the rider, one service companion and catering with one’s own camper and own transport. Motorcycle transport by the organiser alone costs €1,300, according to the site.

The roadbook is supplied in advance digitally as a PDF or for Terra Pirata, and a €200 deposit is due for the SPOT satellite tracker. According to the site, fuel range is 195 kilometres in Pro Dune and 165 kilometres in the other classes. It is not clear from the site exactly which services the entry fee includes. The site names no edition, dates or price date, so the figures should be read as undated organiser information.

+++++ MST Rally: navigation tower for the Aprilia Tuareg 660

MST Rally offers a “Navigation Tower Kit” for the Aprilia Tuareg 660. The tower replaces the original front structure, integrates a mount for GPS navigation devices and retains the original windscreen. According to the manufacturer, the design is inspired by professional rally raid motorcycles. According to MST Rally, fitting requires basic mechanical knowledge, and depending on the model, additional brackets or adjustments may be needed. The product page does not state the price, availability or a full compatibility list, and no independent tests are available.

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