Stage three of the 2025 Carta Rally took competitors on a challenging 183-kilometer loop around Mhamid, combining speed, dunes, and demanding navigation. From the very start, the stage featured fast gravel tracks, a rugged crossing through the Sacred Oasis, and an extended dune section with treacherously soft sand. Despite the technical nature of the route, many participants made it through without major issues. For the cars and SSVs, the day wasn’t over yet: a night stage of 49 kilometers around Mhamid awaited, with results still coming in at the time of writing.
Ventura takes control in the bikes category
In the bike category, it was Martim Ventura who emerged victorious. The Portuguese rider completed the loop stage in 2:25:41 — nearly eleven minutes faster than yesterday’s winner, Kevin Gallas, who had to settle for second place in 2:36:01. Just one second behind Gallas, Benjamin Melot secured third place, once again proving his consistent form. Charlie Herbst surprised with a strong fourth place in 2:39:29, while Alessandro Botturi — who had received a time penalty yesterday for missing five waypoints — bounced back with a fifth place time of 2:43:41.
One notable drop came from Gautier Paulin, who only managed to finish eighth, which could affect his overall ranking. Even more dramatic was the fate of Nicolas Charlier, who failed to reach the finish and recorded a DNF. Other early frontrunners like John Comoglio and Chris Jautard also saw their chances vanish today.
Vitse remains untouchable in the cars
In the car classification, Simon Vitse, navigated by Max Delfino, continues to be unbeatable. With a time of 2:16:43, the French duo once again dominated the stage. Behind them, Lacam/Delfino consolidated their strong position in the SSVs with a second-place time of 2:29:29. The fight for third was tighter: Pelichet/Lecourbe clocked 2:40:02, just ahead of Casteu/Bonnet (2:40:20) and Choblet/Magat (2:42:07).
In the subcategories, there were again solid performances from Goncalves/Magalhaes (8th), while Cambier/Brousse returned to the rankings in 16th after a previous DNF earlier this week. The Belgian-French pair Pemeant/Jacquet received a 33-minute negative correction, turning their 24th fastest time into a significant stage result. On the other side of the coin, several crews dropped out — including Hamsas/Duramé and the team of Honvault/Braulle, who were still in the top five just yesterday.
Stage 4 – another loop, new challenges
Tomorrow, the fourth stage awaits: another loop around Mhamid, this time with a 199-kilometer special. Due to flooding in the oued, the route was altered at the last minute. It includes overlapping sections with stage 3 but also introduces fresh navigation challenges. A crucial part of the route is a 35-kilometer dune section — likely to play a major role in the overall standings.
The question remains whether Vitse and Ventura can maintain their dominant form, and whether challengers like Botturi, Melot, or Pelichet can mount an offensive. It will also be fascinating to see who can keep a cool head amid the mix of familiar and unfamiliar terrain.
