Under the scorching Moroccan sun, the Tuareg Rallye 2025 officially kicked off today.
Following Sunday’s technical scrutineering, competitors set off full of energy on Monday morning for the first stage of this six-day desert rally. The adventure began in style with a unique Le Mans-style start — where all vehicles are lined up side by side and launch simultaneously.
The route took the participants across a mix of fast tracks and challenging dunes in the Erfoud region. A total of six stages are scheduled, with bivouacs in Erfoud and Mhamid, where teams can rest and recover after each day.
Team Broomans opens strong with stage win
In the car category, Team Broomans, driving an aCar, scored an impressive victory. With a total race time of 6 hours and 4 minutes, they outpaced the competition, securing the first Dutch stage win of this edition.
The team responded enthusiastically afterwards:
“Woahh, we won the first stage yesterday! We had a few repairs along the way, but almost everything was done during neutralisation or after the finish, so we barely lost any time during the stage (just changed one tire). Plus, we hit all the regular and secret waypoints, so no penalty time! With a total race time of 6 hours and 4 minutes, it turned out to be enough for the stage win!”
It was a less successful day for Team van der Valk. Although they started the stage, they did not reach the finish within the time limit. The exact cause is still unknown, but it was clear there was work to be done in the Erfoud bivouac.
Tough start for Robert van Pelt
Among the bikers, Robert van Pelt faced early mechanical trouble. A faulty fuel pump cost him significant time during the first section, setting him back by several crucial minutes. Nevertheless, he managed to reach the finish, and with five stages still to come, much remains possible.
Learning day for Ian Olthof
Ian Olthof also finished his first stage in a good time of 3 hours and 58 minutes, which put him between the faster bikers. Olthof is competing to learn, and he was certainly allowed to do so because after he had no more participants in front of him, the mistakes began. Afterwards he shared his experience:
The stage started well, but after overtaking a few riders I had no hare to follow and had to navigate myself and that’s where the mistakes started, but we are here to learn! The 2nd half some technical glitches with the navigation system so the speed had to be reduced for safety.
Strong performances from other Dutch riders
Other Dutch motorcyclists also delivered solid performances. Wouter de Graaff rode a steady stage, finishing in just over four hours. Martijn van der Laan clocked in at 4:40:19, while Bart and Robert van Olst posted nearly identical times around five hours and ten minutes.
A notable effort came from Guillaume Martens, who despite a late start, finished with a respectable time of 5:51:09. Martens is no stranger to rallying, having participated in previous editions of the Dakar Rally. Richard Wijntjes and Wil Wouters finished just under and over the six-hour mark respectively — an impressive feat considering the terrain.
In the SSV class, Lolkema / Peters (6:10:16) and Keppens / Keppens (6:20:18) held their own among the international competitors
The adventure has begun
The Tuareg Rallye is known for its technical navigation, beautiful stages, and the mix of fast tracks and tricky dunes. In the coming days, participants will race through stages around Erfoud and Mhamid. With five stages still ahead, the rally remains wide open — and the challenge is just getting started.
