Saturday JANUARY 14th 2017 SAINT LOUIS / DAKAR STAGE: 292km Liaison SAINT LOUIS / NIOKHOB Special Stage NIOKHOB / LAC ROSE: 22km Liaison LAC ROSE / DAKAR: 40km

18-year old South African Sella on his KTM was second on the final stage behind two-time defending champion Pal Anders Ullevalseter; he won five of the 12 stages.

Meanwhile Vladimir Vasilyev became the first Russian winner of the car category after leading from day to finish two hour and ten minute cushion ahead of Miroslav Zapletal.

Andrey Karginov added the Africa Eco Race trucks title with his Kamaz, following his 2014 Dakar win.

The Russian dominated the class to hand Kamaz a fourth overall victory from the past five editions.

But as the rankings stopped after Friday’s stage 11 it didn’t matter and he was officially declared the overall champion on Saturday.

THE LAC ROSE

As always, there was a friendly atmosphere in Saint Louis on the last bivouac as the participants were joined by their friends, partners and family. After a night under the magnificent starry sky of Senegal, at 8:00 on Saturday the first motorcycle took the start for the last liaisons of the 2017 AFRICA ECO RACE long of 292 km to Niokhob, a fishing village on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. It was from the beach that the start of the final stage was launched.

As the rankings were frozen after Friday’s stage 11 this sprint for the glory did not alter the official classifications.

In Bikes, Norway's Pal Anders ULLEVALSETER won, just in front of the Israeli Gev SELLA at 9 '', both on KTM. The Italian Paolo CECI places his HONDA in 3rd position at 1'12 ''.

In Cars, Guillaume GOMEZ did not miss the opportunity to shine one last time. The Frenchman won with his OPTIMUS Buggy ahead of Pascal THOMASSE, also on OPTIMUS at 30 '' and Jean Antoine SABATIER at the wheel of his BUGGA ONE at 46 ''.