The 10th edition of the Afriquia Merzouga Rally is under way! 127 competitors, including four female bikers who fervently hope to take part in the next Dakar, tackled a drawn-out 208 km long loop around Xaluca on Monday.
Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) dominated the motorbike stage, with Axel Dutrie (Yamaha) winning the quad race and Nasser Al-Attiyah victorious in the Side by Side category.
STORY OF THE DAY. Girls dream of racing the Dakar too!
These smiles are a rather unusual sight in the bivouac. South Africa's Kristen Landman and Calheine Perry, Greece's Polytimi Kriakopoulou and Andorra's Margot Llobera are all beaming. The four female bikers in the Afriquia Merzouga Rally have one objective in mind: starting the Dakar next January. "Coming here is a great opportunity to keep getting better and secure a ticket for the Dakar", explains Margot Llobera. "I'm not really used to tackling dunes", stresses Polytimi Kriakopoulou. "Back in Greece, you only see sand on the beach!"
Meanwhile, Kristen Landman and Calheine Perry could become the first South African women to start the Dakar in 2020. "It's always been a dream of mine, but if I want it to come true, I need to be patient and learn to fight on the track", says Calheine Perry. "Our project has sparked the interest of people in South Africa, so that is an extra motivation", chirps Kristen Landman. However, they absolutely do not want to get a free pass. "Once you put your helmet on, it's all the same for men and women", confirms Margot Llobera. "It's a tough challenge, but it's the same for everyone."
STAGE OF THE DAY. Van Beveren draws first blood
There were a lot of itchy legs out there! The competitors took their machines out for a spin in Sunday's 2 km prologue, won by Michael Metge (Sherco) in the motorbike category and Nasser Al-Attiyah (Can-Am) in side-by-sides. "It was fast, but it gave us a glimpse of what we can expect this week", emphasises the French biker Charlie Herbst (KTM). It was an industrious evening for the competitors, who spent the time poring over their road books ahead of the inaugural stage.
The 208 km opener, featuring a large dune sector, was a brutal affair. However, Yamaha's Adrien Van Beverenwas unfazed and trounced the opposition, beating Štefan Svitko (KTM) by 5′12″ and Michael Metge (Sherco) by 8′13″ at the line. Axel Dutrie and Clément Jay made it a 1-2 for the Drag'on Rally Team in the quad race. Meanwhile, Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Side by Side stage without breaking a sweat. A GPS navigation course was given at Hotel Xaluca after the stage. "I'm learning a lot", stressed French co-driver Arnaud Verdoy. "I'm looking forward to putting it into practice tomorrow!"
HEARD IN THE BIVOUAC.
Adrien Van Beveren (1st in motorbikes, Yamaha, FRA): "I messed up my navigation in the prologue and lost some time. I wanted to do well this morning, so I set a high pace to try and win the stage and open a sizeable gap. I went fast but without throwing caution to the wind altogether. Tomorrow will be another long day, and this time I'll be opening the race."
Axel Dutrie (1st in quads, Yamaha, FRA): "It feels good to be racing! After my mechanical problems in the Dakar, the prospect of hitting the track again made me feel a bit apprehensive. I even asked my mechanics to take the head gasket apart yesterday to make sure everything was in working order. I didn't want to go on the offensive today, considering that it was a stage with tricky navigation. But I'm delighted to kick off the rally with a win!"
Dani Solà (Spain, side-by-sides): "The last Dakar was an awesome experience, even though a mechanical sent me home. I'm eager to keep improving and the Afriquia Merzouga Rally is the ideal place for this. I know just how far this race pushes your navigating and handling skills. This is my first step towards a potential return to the Dakar."
PROVISIONAL* STAGE CLASSIFICATIONS.
MOTORBIKES
1- Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3 h 29′10″
2- Štefan Svitko (KTM) + 5′12″
3- Michael Metge (Sherco) + 8′13″
QUADS
1- Axel Dutrie (Yamaha) 4 h 31′18″
2- Clément Jay (Yamaha) + 4′04″
3- Viel Facondo (Yamaha) + 36’14’’
SIDE-BY-SIDES
1- Nasser Al-Attiyah (Can-Am) 3 h 52′33″
2- Dani Sola (Can-Am) +19’40’’
3- Frédéric Pitout (Can-Am) + 36’14’’
PROGRAMME: Stage 2: Xaluca–Xaluca (212 km)
Tuesday's stage will take the competitors on a new loop around the Xaluca Hotel, where the race has set up its bivouac. The drivers and riders will face a 212 km special divided into two parts. At 86 km long, the first part is the trickiest one because it features the dunes of Erg Chebbi, the landmark for which the Merzouga region is famous. After a neutralised section, the competitors will tackle the remaining 120 km, which are faster but put a greater focus on navigation. "Understanding that haste makes waste is the key to success", underscores sports director Edo Mossi. Participants will be given a navigation course at the end of the stage.
