The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team’s Alessandro Botturi, in partnership with Riders for Health (powered by Two Wheels for Life), finished third on Stage 4 at the Addax Rally in Morocco, to close the gap at the top of the general classification to just over a minute and ensure he remains firmly in the victory hunt with just one day left.
Stage 4 was a 373 km timed special that saw riders take on the endless dunes of the Saharan Desert, as well as oueds, rocky trails, and fesh-fesh as they left the bivouac in Merzouga, before travelling through Ouzina and the iconic Ramlia. With little to no visual cues, navigation was again incredibly tricky, and most riders were caught out at some point.
Heading into day four, the rally had become a two-way battle between Italian Botturi and Ténéré Spirit Experience (TSE) rider Kevin Gallas, with the German leading by 4 minutes and 4 seconds and the duo enjoying a gap of over 44 minutes to the rider in third.
Botturi was determined to claw back time, and he managed to catch Kevin, who had opened the stage, and from there he started to create a gap at the front as he danced through the dunes on his Ténéré 700 Rally. Caught by the chasing group of riders in the final few km, because he was leading out and the dust and lack of tracks to follow made it much more difficult for the 50-year-old Italian compared to those behind, he held on to finish the stage in third with a time of six hours, 34 minutes, and 45 seconds.
For Gallas, who has impressed on the TSE Ténéré World Raid machine and led the general classification since the second day, it was another strong performance. Leading out the stage form the start, after being caught by Botturi, he managed his pace superbly and finished together with the Italian, but conceded three minutes and five seconds to his fellow Ténéré rider. This means that Gallas leads Botturi by one minute and five seconds heading into the final day, and having extended their advantage over the other riders to more than 50 minutes, the duo look set for an epic showdown.
Fellow TSE rider Mike Weidemann made it three Ténérés in the top five with a strong ride to fifth, a feat made even more impressive because he had to change bikes after damaging his on Stage 3 and not being able to complete the special.
Stage 5, the final timed special of the 2025 Addax Rally, will see competitors race 283 km from Merzouga to Merzane, passing through the plains of Begaa, with terrain, once again, alternating between endless dunes, rocks, fesh-fesh and fast tracks. With a demanding route and exhaustion affecting all the riders, even though it is the second-shortest stage of the rally, every waypoint could be the difference between glory and heartbreak.
Addax Rally – Stage 4 Results
Addax Rally – General Classification After Stage 4
Alessandro Botturi – P3 – 6h34m45s – P2 Overall – 21h11m59s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“Today was a very difficult stage; it was very physical, and the navigation was extremely challenging due to the terrain. I pushed as hard as I could and caught Kevin before the dunes, and took over at the front, leading the way. Then I just tried to keep a good rhythm, avoid mistakes, and bring the Ténéré 700 Rally home. I was just focused on the overall situation, and I managed to close the gap at the top of the general classification with Kevin to just over a minute, so there is everything to fight for on the final day.”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“It was a tough stage. There were lots of dunes, which made it very physical, and with hardly any landmarks or visual references, navigation was very tricky. Botturi rode really well, closed the gap to Kevin, overtook him and then had to open the stage. He pushed hard to extend his advantage at the front in the dunes, but other riders caught him on the open plains towards the end, where the wind meant it was much harder leading the way than for those following. He did an amazing job and managed to reduce Kevin’s advantage to one minute and five seconds, and we should be set for an epic showdown on the final day. Kevin again rode intelligently, and he has really impressed us, not only with his riding skills but also with his patience and navigation. Mike also did a great job, having to ride a different bike from the one he was used to, and yet he still managed to finish in fifth. The final stage is only short, but anything can still happen in rally, so we will stay focused on our goals and try to bring home the best results possible.”
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