The second stage of the Morocco Desert Challenge, from Plage Blanche to Laayoune, proved to be a true test of man and machine. Divided into three distinct specials, the 354-kilometer timed section delivered a mix of sand, canyon descents, challenging navigation, and fast Dakar-style tracks. Endurance, skill, and teamwork were all pushed to the limit.
Horeaux takes the lead among the bikes, Lieverdink solid once again
After finishing third in the prologue, Frenchman Nicolas Horeaux stepped up today to take the stage win, ahead of compatriots Amaury Baratin and Valentin Sertilhanges. Yesterday’s winner, Arnau Lledo, had a more difficult day and dropped to sixth place. Dutch rider Gerben Lieverdink showed consistency once again, finishing 11th, while Guillaume Martens brought his GasGas home in 18th.
Van der Valk shines in SSVs as Van den Brink battles setbacks
Gert-Jan van der Valk and Branco de Lange delivered a faultless drive to claim a well-earned stage win. For prologue winner Mitchel van den Brink, the day was far more challenging. Technical issues held him and co-driver Bart van Heun back, and they had to settle for fifth. “It definitely wasn’t our day,” said Mitchel.
Erik van Loon, however, bounced back in style. Alongside Wouter Rosegaar, he finished third. “Driving went great. We had to search a few times, but overall it went well,” Van Loon said, though he expressed frustration about the speed cap difference between T4 and T3 vehicles. Lex Peters and Mark Salomons finished ninth. It was a rough day for André Thewessen, who lost over five hours, and for Henk and Pim Klaassen, who did not set a time.
French dominance in cars, with Dutch crews close behind
Simon Vitse and Martin Bonnet secured the stage win in the car category, just ahead of Lionel and Lucie Baud. Agostino Rizzardi rounded out the podium.
Dutch and Belgian teams followed closely. Roger Grouwels and Rudolf Meijer finished seventh, with Rik van den Brink and Gydo Heimans in eighth. Janus van Kasteren and Marcel Snijders came in ninth, and Mike van Eikeren with Jasper Riezebos completed the top ten. Prologue winner Michiel Becx unfortunately had to retire early from the stage.
Gert Huzink leads Dutch charge in truck class
A strong drive earned Gert Huzink the stage win in the truck category, despite a one-minute penalty. Martin van den Brink followed in second place. Kay Huzink had a rougher day: “We started well but got stuck in a riverbed around 80 km. Gert pulled us out. We drove together for a while, then had a flat tire and a navigation error.” Despite the setbacks, Kay secured third place. Egbert Wingens dropped to fourth after a time penalty. Renaldo Schrave rounded out the top five.
Stage 3 preview: from treacherous dunes to the Atlantic coast
The third stage leads the competitors from Laayoune to Boujdour. The day starts with 35 kilometers of unpredictable dunes — soft, irregular, and unlike those in Chegaga. Then come fast off-track sections, including a 30-kilometer stretch on legendary Dakar tracks. A long, 50-kilometer stretch of camel grass will test every suspension system and driving skill. The stage concludes along the Atlantic coastline, with a mix of sand, gravel, and rocky formations offering both a challenge and a stunning backdrop to end the day.
