Stage four of the Africa Eco Race took competitors from Assa to Khnifiss, located on the Atlantic coast. The total distance was 487 kilometers, almost entirely made up of a timed special. There were no dunes on the program, but the sting was in the tail: complex navigation, rough tracks, and steep climbs made it a punishing day for both man and machine.
Success came for Sander Derickx in the SSVs and Gerrit Zuurmond in the truck category. Meanwhile, Yamaha rider and two-time winner Alessandro Botturi was forced to a halt, and luck continued to evade Bert Heskens.
Cerutti masters strategy, Botturi struck by misfortune
Jacopo Cerutti (Aprilia) claimed the stage win by cleverly capitalizing on his rivals’ mistakes. While Jean-Loup Lepan, Thomas Marini, and Kevin Gallas led the way, Cerutti stayed back and made his move when the trio took a wrong turn across a salt flat. Cerutti immediately found the correct route and powered to the finish in 5 hours and 14 minutes. Maio came in second, Paulin third. Lepan ended up riding 25 kilometers too far and was visibly frustrated.
For Alessandro Botturi, it was a day to forget. Just seven kilometers before the finish, his Yamaha stopped due to an electrical issue. He was towed for over an hour by teammate Nicolas Charlier. Botturi: “Nicolas sacrificed his own race to help me. I’ll never forget that.”
As a result, Cerutti takes the lead in the overall classification, followed by Maio and Lepan.
Belgian domination: Delencre wins again in the cars
Belgian drivers dominated the day. Nicolas Delencre (Optimus) won the stage in 4 hours and 45 minutes, followed by fellow Belgian Pol Van Pollaert at eleven minutes and Christian Femont (Mini) nearly thirteen minutes behind. Delencre praised his navigator Jonathan Lurquin: “We didn’t get distracted by other tracks and trusted our roadbook completely.”
Despite suffering two flat tires, Van Pollaert had a strong day and now takes the overall lead from Lafay, who earlier lost time in the SSV category.
Sander Derickx takes first stage victory
The biggest surprise came in the SSVs. Dutchman Sander Derickx (Can-Am) had a flawless day and secured his first stage win of the rally. Martin Benko (Taurus) finished second over ten minutes behind, followed by Eric Bernard. Defending champion Pierre Lafay came to a halt early in the stage with mechanical issues and lost more than an hour, dropping to fourth in the standings. Benko now leads the overall, ahead of Grarre and Cambier.
Martijn van den Broek faced a tough start after his SSV overheated before departure. With quick support from mechanics, he managed a strong recovery. At the end of the stage, he stopped to help a fallen motorcyclist – a gesture that reflects the true spirit of the rally.
Zuurmond still in command
Gerrit Zuurmond continues to dominate the truck category. The Dutchman won again, clocking a time of 6 hours and 15 minutes. Noel Essers came in second, 37 minutes behind, and Mike Panhuijzen followed at over an hour. Zuurmond now leads the standings by more than five hours. “Our choice for an automatic gearbox proves itself every day,” said Zuurmond, who again suffered two flat tires – one just ten kilometers before the finish.
Panhuijzen’s team regained confidence after earlier setbacks and arrived steadily at the bivouac. Van Berlo had to limp to the finish with three flat tires but made it to the end nonetheless.
Mud and complexity create ‘Gardening’ moments
For the historic vehicles, the day was shaped by three elements: regularity, time control, and navigation. The first was treacherously slippery due to rain, and the final part forced many teams into long searches. Jorge Perez Companc (Toyota) won again, followed by Axel Berrier (Porsche) and Alberto Herrero (Toyota).
This stage offered a glimpse of what lies ahead, with Morocco’s infamous coastal navigation traps on the horizon. Stage five takes the rally to Dakhla, where a well-deserved rest day awaits.
Setbacks, perseverance, and a camera fall
Bert Heskens and his team are still stuck in Zagora without having driven a single kilometer. Maarten Buitenhuis returned to the start line this morning after dealing with battery strategy issues and a non-functioning roadbook. Lejon Fokkema took a clumsy fall right in front of the camera and laughed it off himself. On a day full of rocks, heat, and surprises, perseverance was the key word.
Follow the Adventure on RTL7
The Africa Eco Race is broadcast daily on RTL7 at 12:30, 17:30, and 00:30. RallyTracks closely follows the Dutch teams and brings daily stories straight from the desert. Next stop: Dakhla.
