After the setbacks of the previous day, Mitchel van den Brink once again demonstrated his class in Stage 4 of the Morocco Desert Challenge. The Dutchman, along with Kay Huzink, Janus van Kasteren, and Wouter de Graaff, convincingly won the stage from M’Hamid to Oum Jrane, although the day featured a tricky waypoint for many competitors and a long neutralization in the middle of the stage.
Mitchel Dominant Again in the Car Category
Mitchel van den Brink and Bart van Heun (MP Rallysport, Toyota Hilux T1+, #301) were by far the fastest in the car category during Stage 4. The duo finished in 3:28:40, nearly 20 minutes ahead of second-placed Vincent Thijs (3:48:02). Mike van Eikeren and Jasper Riezebos (#302, MP Rallysport, Century CR-6) completed the podium with a third-place finish in 3:49:53.
Ronald van Loon (Oase Motorsport, #306) finished fourth in 3:51:49. He lost time after failing to find a waypoint—a problem shared by several other competitors. Shortly after, his alternator failed, costing him an additional 10 to 15 minutes. However, the damage was limited, as the organization neutralized part of Stage 3, precisely the section where he had earlier been searching for that waypoint.
Rients Hofstra and Evert Boersma (#312) finished fifth in 3:52:18. Gert-Jan van der Valk and Branco de Lange (#307) came in tenth with a time of 4:00:54. John Groen and Arjan Arendse (#324, Desert Daltons) finished fourteenth in 4:24:52. Arjen van Asselt and Jari Hendriks (#322, Hamer Rally) placed eighteenth in 5:04:02.
Huzink Also Wins Stage 4 in the Truck Category
Kay Huzink once again claimed the stage win in the truck category. The De Rooy FPT driver, together with Corné Blok and Mark Salomons (#501), finished in 4:01:27. Darek Lysek (#503) came second in 4:03:26. Martin van den Brink, Siënna van den Brink, and Hans van den Brink (Eurol Rally Sport, #502) finished third in 4:03:38, just twelve seconds behind Lysek. The Van Groningen family (Dust Warriors, #504) finished fourth in 4:07:57, while Marnix Leeuw, Marije van Ettekoven, and Bart Gloudemans (Rijschool Fury, #506) placed fifth in 4:10:05. Pedro De Uriarte, Eduardo Vanzzini, and Max van Grol (#505) crossed the line in sixth place with a time of 4:19:38.
Janus van Kasteren Takes SSV Stage Win
In the SSV category, Janus van Kasteren was the strongest of the day. Together with navigator Marcel Snijders (#205, Renders Racing), he finished in 3:48:03, ahead of Paulo Rodrigues and Fausto Mota (#204, 3:52:04). Jeroen van Kasteren and Rik Vaessen (#221, Shiver Offroad) secured third place in 3:54:33. Michiel Becx and Sander Van Barschot (#208, Shiver Offroad) finished fourth in 3:58:21. Erik Wevers and Floor Maten (#202, Taurus T3 EVO Max) ended fifth in 4:01:18. Gert Huzink and Hugo Kupper (#203, QFF Racing) placed seventh in 4:07:37.
Notably, André Thewessen and Arjan van Tiel (#219, ATS Rally) drove a strong stage and finished eighth in 4:08:02. Navigator Arjan van Tiel reported that the stage went well for them, despite missing a waypoint early on. “Nothing else out of the ordinary,” he wrote. Willem Meijer and Rudolf Meijer (#206, QFF Racing) did not finish, nor did Geoff Minnitt and Henry Köhne (#201, South Racing).
Wouter de Graaff Wins Stage on Two Wheels
In the motorcycle category, it was a special day for Wouter de Graaff (Desert Vikings, Husqvarna, #121), who claimed the stage win in 4:32:42—his best result of the rally so far. David McBride (#104) finished second in 4:32:59. Dennis Verswijver (#124, Desert Vikings) placed fifth in 4:39:01. Bart van Olst (#122) finished seventeenth in 4:50:45. Fred Mastop (#130) and Guillaume Martens (#136) did not reappear in the results for this stage.
Tomorrow: Stage 5 to Merzouga
On Wednesday, April 15, Stage 5 awaits: a 310-kilometer route from Oum Jrane to Merzouga. This varied desert classic features sandy plains near Marabout, the M’Harech Canyon, ten kilometers through the dunes of Erg Ouzina, and countless winding sand and rocky tracks. The bivouac at Merzouga is located at the foot of the great dunes of Erg Chebbi. For Kay Huzink and Ronald van Loon, currently leading the truck and car categories respectively, the challenge will be to defend their positions.
MDC 2027 Already Announced
On the sidelines of the rally, it was also announced that the 2027 Morocco Desert Challenge is scheduled to take place from April 9 to 17.
