Erik van Loon and navigator Wouter Rosegaar will start tomorrow in the MB Rally Trophy, a five-day rally event through the Moroccan desert. The event, organized by Mitchel van den Brink, brings together 18 participants for a final adventure of the year. Erik starts with number 400.
“This is a very special event,” says Erik. “Mitchel organized this and the group consists mainly of friends and acquaintances. It’s not so much about the competition, but more about experiencing a great adventure together. It’s just fun driving with rally friends and I’m really looking forward to it. A nice way to close out the year.”
The event begins tomorrow with a prologue of 12 kilometers, followed by the first stage of 127 kilometers. The total rally counts 973 kilometers of selective sections, divided over ten stages. The route consists of one-third dunes, one-third open desert and one-third gravel roads. The terrain varies from fast tracks to technical sections and challenging dune passages around Merzouga.
A special highlight is stage 4C on Friday evening, the so-called “Hella Night Stage” of 55 kilometers which will be driven entirely in the dark. In addition, the program includes multiple stages per day on Thursday and Friday, making the event extra challenging.
Erik and Wouter are driving in their Can-Am Maverick R from South Racing. The bivouac is located at the Kasbah Hotel Xaluca in Erfoud, which serves as the base throughout the event. The finish is on Saturday, December 13th after the final stage of 160 kilometers.
