For this 19th edition, the first to be run by David Castera and his ODC Events team, two stars of the discipline\n wrote their names in the history books. At the end of five extremely hardfought stages and six days of racing, the Australian Toby Price (KTM 450 Rally Factory No 8) in the bikes and Nasser Al Attiyah and Matthieu Baumel (Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing No 306) in the cars both achieved convincing victories. But beyond the exploits of these stars, it was the nearly 140 entries, professionals, amateurs and rookies, who shined in their respective classes. With their proud smiles, today at the finish line, and then at the final podium in Fez, they offered the best reward to the new organisation team.
Back to Fez for this 5th and final stage of the Rallye du Maroc. A route shared by virtually all the competitors, with only the trucks avoiding the narrow section on the second timed special. On the day’s programme: 128 kms of sand, dunes, pistes and a mountain pass, before the ultimate 70 kilometres in the Atlas massif to reach the finish of the rally close to Ifrane.
BIKES/QUADS/SSVs
Toby Price goes hard!
Passing under the arch his arms held high, Toby Price (KTM 450 Rally Factory No 8) exploded with joy. Starting first this morning, the Australian flew over the first half of the last stage, imposing an beatable pace to take, in style, his second Rallye du Maroc victory and his first world title. Winner of the last stage, Ricky Brabec (Honda CRF 450 Rally No 11) saved the honour of the Monster Energy Honda Team, largely dominated over the race by their Austrian competitors. The American ex-motox rider, took the 3rd place overall behind Matthias Walkner (KTM 450 Rally Factory No 3), winner of this year’s Dakar. Finishing 7 minutes behind Price today and 4th place overall, Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna FR450 Rally Factory No 1), suffering from a stomach upset for much of the rally, is one of the big losers of the rally. But the double world champion will no doubt be looking for revenge on the next Dakar… The day after the crash of his team mate Franco Caimi, Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha 450WR Rally) had decided to not to go flat out over the last stage. Unfortunately, the Frenchman lost control of his bike a few kilometres from the finish and crossed the line winded and at reduced speed, but fortunately unhurt… His 6th place overall, behind the Portuguese rider Paulo Goncalves (Honda CRF 450 Rally No 4) shows that he’s almost back to his best after long months of convalescence. In the quad class it was the Russian Aleksandr Maksimov (Yamaha Raptor No 104) who ends an exceptional season with a victory, here at the Rally du Maroc, by winning the world championship.
Enduro Cup : Coué and Dutrie confirm!
Dominant throughout this Rallye du Maroc, Sebastien Coue (Husqvarna 450 FE No 120) wins a fine victory for his 4th participation in the Enduro Cup, reserved for amateurs on barely modified enduro machines. The Frenchman beats the Indian Abdul Wahid (Sherco Rallye Enduro No 149) who won 3 stages and his team mate at Performance Enduro, Gregory
Strugeon (Husqvarna 450 FE No 125). But the man with the best overall time in the Enduro
Cup wasn’t on 2 wheels but four – Axel Dutrie aboard his Yamaha YFZR quad No 164…
Kariakin, SSV Tsar
Sergei Kariakin is an ambitious competitor. Winner on the 2017 Dakar in the quad class, the Russian hopes to eventually move up to the car. But to get there he first has to shine in SSV. The driver from Ekaterinbourg and his co-driver Anton VLASIUK impressed with their consistence throughout this Rallye du Maroc, proofing the efficiency of their Can Am in the processes. The new Tsar of the SSV class finishes ahead of the Spanish ex-motorcycle racer Gerard Farres and his co-driver Dani Oliveras and the Portuguese pairing of Morais / Megre, also driving a Can Am. The Frenchman Claude Fournier and the famous Portuguese football coach Andre Villas Boas complete the top 5 in which a certain Stephane Peterhansel and his wide Andrea would also almost certainly have featured in if they hadn’t unfortunately fallen victim to a broken shock absorber yesterday.
CARS/TRUCKS
Al Attiyah 5 out of 5 !
Up until now, 2018 hadn’t been a great year for Nasser Al Attiyah and Mattheu Baumel (Toyota Hilux Gazoo Racing No 306). Winners of the Super Special in Fez and the first two stages of this Rallye du Maroc 2018, the Qatari driver and his French co-driver spent the last 3 stages managing their lead without the slightest incident. Better still, the driver equals the record of Jean-Louis Schlesser, while Mathieu Baumel goes one better with a sixth win if you count the one he won in 2011 with the Dutch driver Bernhard Ten Brinke. Once again they have placed themselves as firm favourites for the next Dakar – that they’ve never managed to win together.
Winner of the 3rd stage, Jakub Przygonski and Tom Colsoul (Mini JCW No 300) achieve their best performance on the Rallye du Maroc. But while for the Polish ex-motorcycle racer and his Belgian co-driver this 2nd place is an indicator of their competitiveness, the most important thing was to wrap up their world title at the end of a faultless season. All smiles on the 3rd step of the podium, from Cyril Despres and Jean-Paul Cottret (Buggy Mini JCW No 309), who after having won yesterday the fourth stage are looking forward to a productive future. And if they still no doubt need a bit more practice to work 100% as a team, the five times Dakar winner in the bike class and the most successful co-driver in the history of the race seem ready to make an impact in the Peruvian dunes. As does the ex-rally driver Martin Prokop and his impressive Ford Raptor, 4th overall here and 2nd in the FIA World Cup. They will be joined in the South American continent by another front runner and the current title holder Carlos Sainz (Buggy Mini JCW No 307). Without recurrent gearbox troubles El Matador would almost certainly not have had to wait until today to take his first stage win…
In the T2 class, as anticipated, it was the Saudi driver Ahmed Al Shegawi (Toyota Land Cruiser No 315) who came out on top in his duel with the Nissan of the Qatari driver Abdulla to take the World Cup, at the end of a race animated by the Ford F150 of the Russian Titov.
Source:Rallye du Maroc
Rally Raid Spirit 