STAGE 7: CHAMI > AÏT AIDZIDINE
PROVISIONAL RESULTS OF THE DAY
Motorcycle: Kevin Gallas
Car: Pol Van pollaert
SSV: Pierre Lafay
The Africa Eco Race reached a major milestone today with Stage 7 from Chami to Aït Aidzidine. An extraordinary stage of 462 kilometers, run entirely as a timed special with no liaison, making it the longest special of this 17th edition. A demanding day, entirely focused on navigation, through typically Mauritanian landscapes of sand, camel grass, and vast off-track areas, interspersed with particularly tricky sections.
From the very start, competitors faced a severe sandstorm, drastically reducing visibility and making terrain reading extremely difficult. The scorching heat, combined with complex navigation and Mauritanian dunes very different from those in Morocco, put both bodies and nerves under extreme strain. After a very demanding first part, the end of the special became more flowing, without offering any real relief.
Motorcycle: Kevin Gallas wins and takes the overall lead
Kevin Gallas (Yamaha) claimed victory on this seventh stage in 5:53:58, at the end of a punishing day. He finished just 18 seconds ahead of his compatriot Mike Wiedemann (Yamaha), achieving a German one-two on the stage. Thomas Marini completed the day’s podium 7 minutes 49 seconds behind.
This is Kevin Gallas’ second stage win of this 17th Africa Eco Race. A decisive result causing a major shake-up in the provisional motorcycle overall standings. Kevin Gallas now takes the overall lead, ahead of Thomas Marini, who holds second place just over 6 minutes behind. Jean-Loup Lepan, who had led the rally for the previous two stages, drops to third at 9 minutes 40 seconds.
All front runners faced serious navigation issues. Jean-Loup Lepan lost his way for nearly an hour and struggled to relocate the tracks of his rivals. Thomas Marini also got lost, forced to ride several kilometers back to validate a missed waypoint, which Jean-Loup Lepan did not, leaving him very surprised to cross the finish line first before times were corrected.
Key Motorcycle incidents
Jacopo Cerutti (Aprilia), the defending champion, got completely lost and eventually ran out of fuel, requiring a tow by Francesco Montanari to exit the special.
Amaury Baratin, competing in malle moto and 3rd on yesterday’s stage, fell early in the special, damaging his navigation tower, then suffered multiple mechanical issues (suspension, tires) and even a small fire on his bike.
Gautier Paulin also suffered heavily on this special:
"People kept telling me: ‘You’ll see, Mauritania is the judge of peace, that’s where it really begins…’ Some Moroccan stages were already tough, so I didn’t understand this fear of Mauritania. Now I do. It’s hard, it’s hostile, the sand is very soft. Navigation is complex, and I also lost an hour with Jean-Loup… Basically, today is when the real battle truly begins."
Stage winner Kevin Gallas added:
"This is a real rally-raid stage, with navigation requiring a lot of composure and concentration. I’m really happy just to have made it to the finish."
Car: Van pollaert wins despite incidents
On four wheels, crews also faced extreme conditions, including reduced visibility, intense heat, and frequent navigation errors, even among the leaders.
Pol Van pollaert (Optimus) set the fastest time in 5:24:25, ahead of Pierre Lafay by 7 min 21 s and Christian Femont by 10 min 39 s.
Notable incident: Tomas Ourednicek (Toyota Hilux) suffered serious mechanical issues and had to exit the special towed by a truck competing in the Historic category.
In the provisional Car overall standings, Pol Van pollaert and Christian Femont retain their first and second positions, with a gap of over 25 minutes. Final results for the day are still pending, as several competitors have yet to reach the finish line.
SSV: Pierre Lafay dominates and extends his lead
In SSV, Pierre Lafay won in 5:31:46, ahead of Martijn Van Den Broek by 19 min 20 s and Martin Benko by 20 min 44 s.
In the provisional SSV overall standings, Pierre Lafay strengthens his lead over William Grarre at more than 55 minutes, while Martijn Van Den Broek is in third place at nearly 59 minutes.
Truck: results pending
Truck competitors are still crossing the finish, and results will be announced once validated by the organization.
This seventh stage will go down as one of the most remarkable of the Africa Eco Race 2026. A day of pure navigation, selective and exhausting, confirming that Mauritania remains more than ever the ultimate judge of the rally. The remainder of the race promises to be intense, as fatigue and pressure weigh heavily on all competitors.
