The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team, in partnership with Riders for Health (powered by Two Wheels for Life), continued its superb run at the 2026 Carta Rallye in Morocco, with Kevin Gallas securing second, Alessandro Botturi fourth, and Gautier Paulin fifth on Stage 5. The trio once again locked out the top three places in the Over 450cc class, maintaining the team’s remarkable 100% record in the category through five stages.
Stage 5 saw the rally head from Tan-Tan Plage to Icht and, at 694 km in total, it was one of the longest and most demanding days of the rally. The stage featured 346 km of special and 348 km of liaison, with a mix of terrain and tricky navigation creating a tough test from start to finish.
Gallas produced another standout ride on his Ténéré 700 Rally to finish second on Stage 5 in three hours, 57 minutes and 30 seconds, missing out on victory by just 33 seconds. After taking his first stage win on Stage 3 and then backing it up with a podium on Stage 4, the German rider continued his excellent form with another impressive result against the lighter 450cc single-cylinder prototype machines. The result moves him up to second overall in the general classification, 19 minutes and 37 seconds from the lead, in a major step forward with two stages remaining.
Paulin also delivered another strong performance after opening the stage, which made his job even tougher. The Frenchman spent much of the day at the front, but a few small mistakes cost him fifteen minutes in penalties, although he still produced an excellent ride to finish fifth with a time of four hours, 12 minutes and 52 seconds. With two stage wins already to his name at this year’s rally, he remains firmly in contention and now sits third overall, 30 minutes and 22 seconds from the lead.
Botturi continued his fightback from the penalties earlier in the rally with another solid performance, finishing fourth on Stage 5 in four hours, five minutes and 32 seconds. The experienced Italian kept a good, regular rhythm throughout the day and remains fourth overall in the general classification, 49 minutes and one second from the lead, while also ensuring he and his team-mates continue to occupy the top three places in the Over 450cc class overall standings.
Stage 6 sees the rally move from Icht to M’Hamid and features 318 km of special, 23 km of liaison, and a 152 km transfer, for a total of 494 km.
Carta Rallye Stage 5 Results
Carta Rallye General Classification After Stage 5
Kevin Gallas – P2 – 18h34m21s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“Stage 5 was really good. It was a very long day, with around 700 kilometres in total, and the goal at the start was to stay with the riders in front and see what they were doing. They were riding at a strong pace, but they also made a few small navigation mistakes, so I was able to make up some time. There were some tricky sections with many dangers and obstacles, so it was not straightforward, but the navigation worked well, and I was able to push. To finish second and come so close to another stage win is a great feeling. The bike is working really well, the team is doing a great job, and I am really enjoying it.”
Gautier Paulin – P3 – 18h45m06s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“Today was a great day, and I really enjoyed riding. It was a very fast stage, and I opened, so it was not easy. I made a few small mistakes and got passed, but then I fought back again and was leading at different points of the stage. To open at the start and still be right at the front for so much of the day was really satisfying. I had a great day.”
Alessandro Botturi – P4 – 19h03m45s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“It was a good day. I had a regular rhythm and a solid stage overall. We know the classification can still change with small issues here and there, so the important thing was to stay focused and complete another positive day.”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“Stage 5 was not the most difficult day, but it was an important one for our riders because the notes were not always easy, and there were some tricky sections. Gautier did a very strong job opening the stage and gained valuable experience from that. Kevin again showed good consistency and delivered another strong result, which was very positive to see. Alessandro also had a solid day. It was a useful stage because the terrain was varied, making it good training for all our riders. We had no issues with the bike and no issues with the navigation equipment, so overall it was another positive day.”
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