The Africa Eco Race is officially underway, though the start didn’t go quite as planned. Instead of a timed stage, competitors set off early Monday morning at 5:30 for an 801-kilometer liaison from Tangier to Boussaïd. Under cold and rainy conditions, the day began on a gloomy note. But as the route climbed toward the Atlas Mountains, participants were treated to a breathtaking landscape. Snow covered the mountain peaks, while the roads fortunately remained clear. It resulted in striking images, with many momentarily forgetting that this was ‘only’ a liaison day.
Once the caravan left the mountains behind and moved further south, the first rays of sunshine broke through. Temperatures rose to nearly twenty degrees, and by the time everyone arrived in Boussaïd, spirits were high. The bivouac is situated on the edge of the desert, which means the real rally can begin tomorrow morning.
“Now it really begins”
Upon arriving at the bivouac, Gerrit Zurmond from the Rainbow Truck Team shared his thoughts: “It was a long day, but I fully understand the decision to cancel the special. Safety comes first. And to be fair, even without that snowy mountain pass, we saw some stunning scenery today. Now that we’re truly in the south, the real adventure begins. Tomorrow, we can finally open the throttle.”
Motorbike rider Jean-Loup Lepan was also in good spirits: “I was well-dressed and stayed warm. The desert after the mountains felt like a reward. And tomorrow looks perfect: starting directly from the bivouac, no liaison, just pure rally.”
A level-headed Dutchman dives in
For Dutch rider Hille Dalstra from Friesland, this Africa Eco Race marks his first major multi-day rally. After competing in Rally Albania and two shorter Moroccan rallies, he’s now stepping up to the real deal. He rides in the toughest category: Malle Moto, meaning no assistance and fully self-supported.
The first day started with some tension when his new Honda appeared to be consuming coolant, but after more than 800 kilometers, it turned out to be a false alarm. “The bike was in perfect condition,” said Hille, who sums up his adventure with his signature dry Frisian humor: “Hope is just delayed disappointment.” A phrase already making the rounds in the bivouac.
Rob Buursen: from Dakar to Dakar
Another standout Dutch story is that of Rob Buursen. After eleven Dakar Rally appearances, nine of them as co-driver to Gert Huzink, Rob is now taking part in the Africa Eco Race as a navigator. He teams up with Sander Derikx in an SSV, shortly after competing in the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia earlier this month. A true back-to-back.
The idea was born during a trackside meeting at the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Zandvoort, where Sander and Rob caught up. At that point, there were no concrete Dakar plans, but things quickly escalated. Rob ended up returning to Dakar number eleven after all, stepping in for Kay Huzink as navigator in the truck. Just days later, he was back on the road for Africa Eco Race, with only a brief stop at home in between two major rallies.
Daily coverage on RTL7
The Africa Eco Race 2026 can be followed daily on RTL7, with three regular broadcast times: 12:30, 17:30 and 00:30. The program, produced by RallyTracks, focuses not only on the competition but especially on the stories of the Dutch participants, their challenges, setbacks and triumphs.
Today marks the first real special stage: a route towards Tagounit featuring dunes, fast tracks and treacherous stones. This will reveal who is truly ready for the real work in the desert.
