As is the tradition at the AFRICA ECO RACE®, the 12th and final stage consisted of a 230km morning liaison between Saint-Louis and the fishing village of Niokob, followed by a 22km special stage between the beach and Lac Rose, where the podium was set-up.
There was an incredible atmosphere on the shores of Lac Rose, about 10 meters from the monument erected in honor of Thierry SABINE.
Indeed, never since the first edition of the AFRICA ECO RACE® in 2009 had there been so many people and such an atmosphere at Lac Rose. It was a unique moment worthy of the world’s great sporting events.
The last 187km special stage between Idini and Teverit crossed sandy tracks and included a few dunes and dunettes. It was, once again, well received by the survivors at the AFRICA ECO RACE® 2020.
The stage offered a real driving treat but had no effect on the general classifications this year. There was, therefore, good humour and spirit on the finish line, situated at the edge of the Erg at the village of Teverit, around 30km from Nouakchott in Mauritania.
Today, Friday 17th of January, the 10th stage of the Africa Eco race between Tidjikdja and Idini, long of 499km, was supposed to be the deal maker on this 12th edition, should it be for the bikes or the four wheels category. Unfortunately, the director of the event had to neutralise the special stage at km 249, at a refueling point.
Indeed, three bikers had an accident on the first part of the course which needed the attention of two of the helicopters out of three. It was therefore impossible to ensure the security of the competitors on the 500km route and such decision was obligatory. The participants joined the finish line 20km from the bivouac on the liaison route, relatively rolling and easy on the last 250 km.
Once again, this stage in the form of a loop around Tidjikja , will have allowed competitors to discover fully this region of Mauritania, a real jewel of the country. In terms of sport, the 415 km route was also a big challenge in piloting and navigation. However, the race leaders were discreet and the suspense remains intact in all categories. Above all, this day of rest for the assistants and the organization, will have enabled Jérôme FROISSART, the President of AMADE, a Monegasque association for the protection and development of childhood in the World, to distribute hundreds of solar lamps in schools in the Tidjikja region.
The management of the AFRICA ECO RACE ® announced last night at the Aidzidine briefing, this 8th stage would be one of the most beautiful but also one of the most difficult of this 12th edition. They were right because at 19:00 Mauritanian time, only about thirty motorcycles and about fifteen cars, trucks and SSV had returned to the bivouac. Knowing that the first bikes had started at 7:30 this morning and that the special was 429 km long, it is easy to imagine the difficulty of the course consisting of sandy tracks, wadis and dunes cords, all in the heart of breathtaking scenery. In fact, a true African step in the pure tradition of AFRICA ECO RACE.
This time, there is the AFRICA ECO RACE in the heart of Mauritania, more precisely in Aidzidine village located not far from Atar, where the bivouac is set. On their side, the competitors got to the heart of the matter with a mainly navigation and dune stage of 477 km. All without any liaison since the departure and arrival which take place directly at the bivouacs.
After a pleasant day of rest in the sun, on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in Dakhla and the traditional dinner composed of steaks and roasted potatoes, a short night awaited the participants of the AFRICA ECO RACE ® since it was at 4:30 am that breakfast was served. An unusual schedule for a day punctuated with a 350 km link to the Mauritanian border and then a 176 km special between Arzmeila and Chami, a village on the road to Nouakchott. A big day for everyone, organization, assistance and competitors and ultimately new faces under the cameras of the AFRICA ECO RACE ® TV production team.
Friday evening, during the briefing at the Smara bivouac, Jean Louis SCHLESSER had announced the special to Wad Assag as being very fast. The boss of the AFRICA ECO RACE ® wasn’t wrong since it took 03:36:03 for the winner on four wheels, at 131 km / h on average, to complete the 473 km. A special course which is not very selective in the heart of monotonous landscapes, but a must to reach the city of Dakhla in the far south of Morocco where the rally caravan will be able to rest tomorrow Sunday.
It is an entirely new special stage on the AFRICA ECO RACE ® that awaited the competitors of this 4th stage full south towards Smara. As expected, navigation was the key to success in this selective sector of 385 km, both by car and motorbike. Apart from that and a specific track fatal to many tyres, there was no major difficulty and the last competitors should not get out of the special too late. A good thing after the long 3rd stage where some have already burned the joker that allows him to give up once on a special before being disqualified.
The third stage between Mahmid and Assa was expected extremely versatile in terms of landscapes and challenges. This special stage of nearly 500km, one of the longest of the 2020 Africa Eco Race, held its promise, especially near Erg Chegaga, first real dune cord of this 12th edition. Indeed, if the motorbikes, which left at sunrise, rode a solid enough sand, it was not the same for the autos, many of which will be arriving late today at the bivouac.
The first night on the bivouac in Tarda, halfway between Er-Rachidia and Goulimine was extremely cold as temperature went down to -3 degrees at sunrise. Needless to say that after a long day yesterday and a complicated night for the majority of the participants of the AFRICA ECO RACE, the faces were marked on the starting line directly installed at the bivouac.
After a peaceful Mediterranean cruise aboard the SMERALDA FERRY, the caravan of the AFRICA ECO RACE disembarked this morning, Tuesday January 7th in the port of Tangier.
Competition and sharing define the spirit of the Africa Eco Race
Xavier Flick - Winner Motul Extreme Rider 2022
We congratulate AFRICA ECO RACE for their support AMADE and enabling Mauritanian and Senegalese students to have access to solar lamps. A child with light at home, is a child able to do his homework when night comes.
Jérôme FROISSART - Directeur AMADE Mondiale
For us as service-team, the AER feels like going on a road-trip with the whole family ! Together we follow the ancient African trails. Together with the complete organization of the AER we give it all to bring our teams to the legendary Lac Rose !
Being true fans of the AER we enjoy the whole concept as you find in no other race, as one of our SSV pilots reminded me, there is only one real race to Dakar !
Wil THEUWS - Team Manager QFF Racing
I am glad that I was standing at the finish line of AER 22 in Dakar at the Pink Lake. It is the goal and dream of all racers who do cross-country races all over the world.
Team Barth Racing
This event created by Jean Louis SCHLESSER and René METGE is a precise cocktail where the pleasure of racing bonds with the beauty of the landscapes and the nice atmosphere between everyone on the bivouacs
Franck ALLARD - AMV assurances
Africa is an happy continent with smiling people, with freedom for racing, thanks a lot to orga work to preserve classic African event based on values from first Dakars... Good luck AER!
Tomas Tomecek - Winner Truck AER 2022
AFRICA ECO RACE is also mutual help and friendship between the competitors
Jean Louis SCHLESSER
Solidarity and unity, the AFRICA ECO RACE is a rally at the origin of our values and this must remains...
Abdou THIAM - Président de la FSAM
The AFRICA ECO RACE is a true human organisation, you really fell that you're a part of a global project with an open and very initimate feeling. So you sleep with very simple thoughts while you reach your goal: Dakar
Franco Acerbis - ACERBIS
The enthusiam and passion of the team as well as their constant research of bringing eco-responsable actions to their event, make the AFRICA ECO RACE one of the unmissable events of the Principality and we are proud to welcome them every year. We encourage everybody to buy a maximum of solar lamps provided by AMADE and AFRICA ECO RACE. More than a daily use, they will enable senegalese and mauritanian children to walk safely home after dark and will contribute to reducing the racing vehicules' carbon footprint.
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