Africa Eco Race Set Up for Dramatic Finale as Botturi Secures Second on Stage 10
The 2025 Africa Eco Race is on a knife edge after the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team’s Alessandro Botturi, in partnership with Riders for Health (powered by Two Wheels for Life), finished second on Stage 10 to see his lead in the general classification reduced to just nine seconds, with only one more stage left counting towards the final result.
A severe sandstorm saw the second loop stage in Amodjar cancelled for safety reasons, meaning that Botturi carried a lead of nine minutes and 49 seconds into the tenth stage of the Africa Eco Race (AER). Ahead of the Italian was a 409 km special, along with 65 km of liaisons, as he and his main rival, Jacopo Cerutti, looked to continue their epic race-long battle for the lead as the bivouac headed to Nouakchott.
Botturi’s lead might have been significant heading into the stage, but the brutal nature of the special, which saw competitors take on the infamous dunes of the Sahara for the final time, meant nothing could be taken for granted. Starting tenth, the 48-year-old managed to catch and overtake all of the riders ahead of him on his Ténéré World Raid GYTR, meaning he had to lead the way during the latter part of the stage, and the physicality of the soft sand, plus the intense heat, made his task even more challenging.
Showing all of his legendary determination and grit, Botturi fought through it all to end the stage in five hours, two minutes, and 21 seconds, but he finished behind Cerutti, with his compatriot making up nine minutes and 40 seconds. The result saw Botturi’s lead in the general classification cut to just nine seconds, and with the short Stage 12 not counting towards the overall timings, there is hardly anything between the duo heading into what will be an intense deciding eleventh stage.
The two rivals, who also race against each other in the Italian Motorally Championship and who are both riding twin-cylinder adventure bikes, have ignited the 2025 AER with their race-long duel, with Botturi securing three stage wins to Cerutti’s four, and with the pair enjoying an advantage of over two hours and 21 minutes to the third-placed rider. Therefore, it seems fitting that it will all come down to one final duel between them, with everything on the line, although Botturi is ideally placed, as he will start the stage in second, 3 minutes behind Cerutti, who will have to lead out.
The crucial Stage 11 sees the bivouac leave the deserts of Mauritania behind and enter into the Sahelian savannah as the rally crosses the border into Senegal. Starting the day with a 317 km liaison, the rally will be decided with an 82 km special stage to determine the final ranking. The Mauritanian off-road segments give way to a sandy, safari-like special, with tricky tracks winding between baobabs, acacias, and unmarked paths that constantly crisscross, presenting a very different navigational challenge before an 8 km liaison to the bivouac in Mpal.
Joining the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team for the final four days of the rally is none other than “Mr Dakar” himself, Stéphane Peterhansel. The Frenchman, who has 14 Dakar victories to his name, six with Yamaha, will ride with the Ténéré Spirit Experience customers in the Raid category.
Africa Eco Race Stage Results & General Classification
Alessandro Botturi – P1 Overall – 35h13m07s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“Today was very tough. It was extremely hot, plus there were lots of physically demanding dunes, which sap your energy. I set a great pace at the start and overtook all of the riders ahead of me, but that meant I was then out on my own, without any reference, so I had to push as hard as I could, but it was not easy. It has been an incredible battle with Cerutti, with the two of us constantly fighting at the front all rally long. Now it will all come down to one final stage, with just nine seconds between us, but whatever happens, the whole team can be proud of what we have achieved.”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“Today was a real test of the rider’s mentality, especially after the stage was cancelled yesterday. It could have been make or break for Alessandro, as he overtook all of the riders ahead of him, so he was effectively opening the track for the last part of the stage. This meant one mistake could have been disastrous, but he kept his cool and used his experience and excellent navigation skills to ensure he brought his Ténéré World Raid GYTR home in second. This puts him in an excellent position, with only tomorrow’s stage left that counts towards the overall result. It means we must stay focused, as tomorrow’s stage and the Senegalese terrain are completely different from those in Mauritania, but we will give it everything to ensure we arrive in Mpal leading the rally.”
