The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team, in partnership with Riders for Health (powered by Two Wheels for Life), will use the triple threat of Alessandro Botturi, Gautier Paulin, and Kevin Gallas as they aim to build on their Africa Eco Race victory at the Carta Rallye in Morocco from April 18-24.
Fresh from their dominant performance at the Africa Eco Race (AER), where Gallas secured victory ahead of Paulin in dramatic fashion on the final timed stage, ensuring a historic one-two for the team and the Ténéré, they are ready for the next challenge.
The team will use a three-rider lineup to spearhead their attack in Morocco, combining experience and potential. Italian Botturi, who finished the AER in a strong seventh overall after a superb fightback from a technical issue that saw him lose over an hour, and former MXGP rider and five-time MXoN winner Paulin are joined by Gallas as an officially supported rider after the German impressed with his AER victory in what was only his third rally raid.
The team have also enjoyed success at the Carta Rallye before, with Paulin securing a podium on his rally raid debut in third in the 2025 edition, with Gallas fourth and Botturi fifth to ensure a one-two-three in the over 450cc class.
The team will also be bolstered by another nine Ténéré Spirit Experience riders, with two in the Race category and seven in the Raid category, showcasing the growing interest in the twin-cylinder adventure bike and its ability to compete at the highest level.
The 10th edition of the Carta Rallye features seven stages and sees competitors cover over 2,000 km of timed special stages as they traverse Morocco and the infamous dunes of the Sahara Desert. The first stage kicks off on Saturday, April 18, in Agadir, with a special of 370.85 km before they arrive at the bivouac in Tan Tan.
Gautier Paulin
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“I am really happy to be here again with the team and back with the Ténéré Spirit Experience riders. It is always special to get back on the Ténéré 700. This time, it will be an electronic road book, a new addition that adds another interesting element to the rally. The organisers have created a new route, and they always try to deliver a great experience in Morocco, so I am definitely looking forward to getting started. We have continued working with Yamaha on the bike, but the gap between the Africa Eco Race and this event has been short, so there have not been any major updates. For me, this rally is another good opportunity to keep building experience with the road book, enjoy being back in the desert and continue learning. I am grateful to be here again, and I feel happy to start this next challenge.”
Alessandro Botturi
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“It is great to be back with the team once again. The Carta Rallye is an excellent opportunity not only to race but also to test and further develop the Ténéré 700 Rally. The level of riders at this year’s Carta Rallye is impressive, so we know how tough it will be, but I am feeling good and ready to take on the challenge with Gautier and Kevin.”
Kevin Gallas
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“I am really happy to get back into action with the Carta Rallye. After the Africa Eco Race, I had some time to recover. Although I was not dealing with any injuries, it was the first real opportunity I had to properly return to training, because before that, I was mainly focused on rehabbing my knee. Unfortunately, because of the weather in Europe, I was not able to do much riding, so I have not really been on the bike since the Africa Eco Race. I only managed a short motocross session and a little bit of road riding, so most of my preparation has been off the bike. Even so, I feel good, and I am really happy to be back in the desert with the team. This rally is another important step for us to keep working, keep developing, and keep preparing in the best possible way so we can continue to improve and be even stronger in the future.”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“After the excellent result at the Africa Eco Race and Kevin Gallas’ victory, it is great for the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team to begin a new phase of the season and return to competition in the desert. The Carta Rallye is an important event for us because it allows us to work again with Alessandro Botturi, Gautier Paulin, and Kevin Gallas as a group, alongside all of our staff. Our objectives remain clear: to perform well, to continue developing the bike, to gather information, and to keep supporting our riders’ progress. Gautier is still building his experience in rally raid and in desert conditions, and Kevin is continuing that process as well, while Alessandro brings valuable experience to the team. We are very motivated and very impatient to get started with the first stage.”
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