The fifth stage of the 2025 Fenix Rally was one for the purists. No long liaison sections, no gravel roads to catch your breath, just a 190-kilometre special stage entirely focused on sand. From Douz into the depths of the Grand Erg Oriental, competitors were treated to dunes in all shapes and sizes: sharp, soft, small, towering, and chaotic. Compass-based navigation and maintaining momentum were crucial, as the Sahara showed no mercy.
Duel in the Open Car class
An intense duel unfolded in the Open Car category between Italy’s Agostino Rizzardi in his Porsche CR6T and the Belgian-Dutch duo Vincent Thijs and Arjan van Tiel in their Toyota Hilux. The margin at the finish? Just nine seconds. The RT Offroad team drove a near-perfect stage, staying glued to the bumper of their Italian rival. “Sand, sand, and more sand,” said Arjan van Tiel. “The Hilux really came into its own today. It was a joy to drive like this. A pity about those few seconds, but this was top-level racing.”
Rainbow Truck Team holds steady despite time loss
For the Rainbow Truck Team, stage five had two distinct faces. Only the first part of the route was open to trucks, meaning Gerrit Zuurmond, Tjeerd van Ballegooij, and Klaas Kwakkel returned to the bivouac earlier than the rest of the field. That didn’t make it an easy day, though. Their MAN truck got stuck in the dunes once and also suffered a puncture. A stage win was out of reach, but their overall lead remained safe. The team remains focused: the goal is the finish line in Monastir, and every day counts.
All Dutch competitors in action
The Dutch contingent saw mixed fortunes on stage five. Beyond the strong showing from Thijs and Van Tiel, several Dutch SSV crews successfully completed the special. Arjan Donders and Edwin Vloemans crossed the finish in Douz as 14th in class, though they were handed a 15-minute penalty for a missed waypoint. Jan Wilzing and Jaroslav Kosan came in 23rd, also with a time penalty.
For Marco van Heugten and Michelle Opstelten, the day ended early, as it did for Edwin Opstelten and Henny van Kouwen. Greenteam Panhuijzen, with Jori and Tom Panhuijzen, also failed to finish. The second Dutch truck outfit, Lankveld Rally Team, drove a solid stage and secured an impressive fourth place in their DAF CF. Greenteam Panhuijzen, unfortunately, had another difficult outing and was classified as DNF.
Leaders across the categories
In the bike category, Christian Pastori took the stage win, followed by Urban Jerkic and Edvard Sokolovski. Among the ATVs, it was again Gaetan Martinez setting the pace, closely followed by teammate Antanas Kanopkinas. The SSV class was won by the French duo Nicolas Martinez and Loriane Forgues in their Overdrive OT3. As mentioned, Rizzardi/Fenati and Thijs/Van Tiel defined the day in the car category, while, for the first time this rally, the truck class stage win did not go to the Rainbow Truck Team. Instead, the Italian Eagle Racing Team claimed victory, with Paolo Calabria, Loris Calubini, and Giuseppe Fortuna posting the fastest time of the day: 3:18:59.
Closing in on the finish
With just two stages remaining, the bivouac now moves toward Monastir, where the rally will conclude on Thursday. The fifth edition of the Fenix Rally is defined by technical navigation, treacherous dunes, and fierce battles across multiple categories.
For the Dutch crews, opportunities remain, but so do the risks. The desert is as unpredictable as ever. One navigation error or mechanical issue could mean the difference between a podium finish and disappointment. But as long as the engines roar and the sand flies, everything remains possible in Tunisia.
