During the briefing yesterday evening at the Ouad Naga bivouac, Manfred KROISS, the Sporting Director of the AFRICA ECO RACE 2022, had indicated that the final timed sector was complicated because the tracks were covered with vegetation, masking the traps of the track. He therefore advised competitors, especially those on motorbike, to be very vigilant. A message received by all because there was not the slightest problem on this last special of 122 km.
Stefan SVITKO performing well until the end
The Slovak Stefan SVITKO did not tremble today since he dominated the last special stage of the AFRICA ECO RACE, relegating the HUSQVARNA of Frenchman Xavier FLICK to 00:03:19 and the KTM of Briton Robbie WALLACE to 00:04:38. Spaniard Pol TARRES placed his YAMAHA in 4th position at 00:07:03 from the winner, 33 seconds ahead of the HUSQVARNA of Italian Maurizio GERINI. Alessandro BOTTURI didn't take any risk and finally finished 6th in front of Pal Anders ULLEVALSETER, who was also cautious as he was more than 15 minutes behind. Nice performance of French rider Amaury BARATIN who finished 8th ahead of Swede Stefhan WILHELMSSON . Both of them enter for the first time in the top 10 completed by the Dutchman Stephan SAVELKOULS.
The Lac Rose special stage does not count in the general classification of the AFRICA ECO RACE, Stefan SVITKO wins this 14th edition in the motorbike category. He is ahead of Maurizio GERINI and Xavier FLICK who wins the MOTUL EXTREME RIDER category. By finishing 4th, Pal Anders ULLEVALSETER wins the Veteran category (+45 years old), Pol TARRES, 5th, the 700 and more Bicylinder category, Robbie WALLACE, 6th, the Junior category (-25 years old), the Senegalese Mamadou BOCOUM, 10th, the African rider trophy and the +450 category, the Italian Francesca GASPERI, 15th, the Women category and the Czech Zdenek TUMA, 21st the Quad category
The last special stage for David GERARD and Pascal DELACOUR in car
After yesterday's complicated day for the two OPTIMUS, David GERARD and Philippe GOSSELIN, the two French pilots, were keen to finish this AFRICA ECO RACE in style. David GERARD and Pascal DELACOUR won with a lead of 00:02:12 over Philippe GOSSELIN and Christophe CRESPO. Behind them, the battle raged until the end in the SSV EXTREME RACE category as the Franco-Nigerian Eric SCHIANO and Camille POURCHIER got the 3rd time on their POLARIS for 11 seconds ahead of the CAN AM of the Dutch Rudy VOLLEBREGT and Gert TRAA, while their teammates and compatriots Laurens MEIJER and Robert VISSER completed the podium of the day.
In the car classification, Philippe GOSSELIN and Christophe CRESPO win this 14th edition ahead of the CAN AM of Senegalese Jean DAGHER-HAYECK and Frenchman Patrick ANTONIOLLI. Laurens MEIJER and Robert VISSER take the 3rd place trophy on four wheels and Rudy VOLLEBREGT and Gert TRAA finish on the 3rd step of the SSV EXTREME RACE podium. By finishing 5th overall, Tomas TOMECEK adds a 4th trophy in the truck category to his prize list. Finally, in their TOYOTA, the Hungarians Irme VARGA and Jozsef TOMA finished 7th and won the T1 4x4 category.
Tomorrow, Sunday October 30, the caravan of the AFRICA ECO RACE will head for the Lac Rose at dawn. After the mythical special stage of the Lac Rose and its spectacular start on the beach of Niokhob, the winners and finishers of this 14th edition will climb on the podium. All this under the applause of families, friends, partners and enthusiasts coming in great numbers to attend the prize-giving ceremony of this unique All Terrain Rally crossing two continents and four countries.
Source Africa Eco Race
