On Saturday 11 April, the eleventh edition of the Morocco Desert Challenge (MDC) gets underway in Morocco. With a completely new route, an impressive field of competitors and a massive Dutch presence, the ‘Dunes Edition’ promises to be the most ambitious edition to date.
The Morocco Desert Challenge is scheduled from 9 to 18 April 2026. For the first time in the event’s history, the rally departs from Ouarzazate, the iconic gateway to the Sahara. The organisation has therefore bid farewell to the familiar scrutineering in Agadir and the classic start on the beach at Plage Blanche. After eight gruelling stages, the rally finishes on the coast in the sun-drenched town of Saïdia.
The Route: More Dunes Than Ever
On Thursday 9 and Friday 10 April, the Morocco Desert Challenge opens with scrutineering in Ouarzazate. The bivouac is located right next to centuries-old kasbahs. The actual start takes place at the castle featured in the films Kingdom of Heaven and Jerusalem, just outside the city, 8 kilometres from the hotel.
The 75-kilometre prologue determines the starting positions for the following day. This is followed by the rally’s only transfer, to the first desert bivouac in Foum Zguid. In total, competitors cover around 2,800 kilometres. The route features fast tracks, technical sections, vast plains, salt lakes, riverbeds and legendary Dakar tracks. This year, however, the emphasis is firmly on the dunes. The queen stage is the great north-south crossing of Morocco’s highest dune sea, Erg Chebbi, followed by a second dune passage at Erg Znaigui. Both areas are connected by 240 kilometres of varied tracks and sandy oueds.
Trucks: Van den Brink versus De Rooy
The most notable announcement in the truck category is the arrival of Team De Rooy FPT with three Iveco Powerstar trucks. Behind the wheel of the first truck: Kay Huzink, alongside Corné Blok and Mark Salomons. Huzink won the truck classification at MDC 2025 and finished seventh overall at Dakar 2026. For this rally, he temporarily swaps his familiar Renault for a De Rooy Iveco. The second De Rooy truck is crewed by Polish driver Darek Lysek, the third by Mexican Pedro De Uriarte with Max van Grol as navigator.
Alongside Team De Rooy, Eurol Rally Sport from Harskamp also makes an appearance. Martin van den Brink (55) drives the Iveco Torpedo, accompanied by his daughter Siënna as navigator and cousin Hans van den Brink. Siënna van den Brink, who serves as navigator, recently turned 16 — exactly the minimum age required to participate. A remarkable debut.
Also at the start are Dust Warriors with William, Jessie and Wesley van Groningen in an Iveco Powerstar, as well as Marnix Leeuw with Bart Gloudemans and Marije van Ettekoven. Hamer Rally fields Fons Jans, Renaldo Schrave and Hans Heerema in a DAF FAV 75.
Cars: Shiver Offroad and MP Rallysport on the Attack
The Dutch presence in the T1+ class is equally strong. Mitchel van den Brink makes his debut in the car category in a Toyota Hilux Overdrive run by MP Rallysport, alongside navigator Bart van Heun. Mitchel is the three-time SSV category winner (2023, 2024 and 2025) and starts with number 301. Teammates Mike van Eikeren and Jasper Riezebos drive a Century CR-6, also for MP Rallysport. Gert-Jan van der Valk and Branco de Lange complete the MP Rallysport line-up in a second Toyota.
Rients Hofstra and Evert Boersma drive for Red-Lined Europe in a Red-Lined REVO GTR T1+. Ronald van Loon and Erik Lemmen represent Oase Motorsport in a Toyota SVR V6 EVO T1+. Arjen van Asselt and Jari Hendriks compete for Hamer Rally in a Desert Warrior. John Groen and Arjan Arendse line up for Desert Daltons in the well-known Letech G-model.
SSVs: Record Dutch Turnout
The SSV category takes the prize when it comes to sheer numbers. Below is an overview of all Dutch participants in this class:
QFF Racing (Eersel) is by far the largest Dutch team: Gert Huzink / Hugo Kupper, Willem Meijer / Rudolf Meijer, Bert van Druten / Patric Brinkman, Ruud Vollebregt / Patricia Vollebregt, Laurens Meijer / Gerrit Meijer, Mike Daas, André van Gerven / Ted Peters, Bas Buijnsters / Pieter Herijgens, Nico Gründmann / Johan Pouw, Marcel van Berlo / Olaf Harmsen and Frederik Meijer / Floor Meijer.
Shiver Offroad enters Janus Sr van Kasteren / Martijn van der Burgt (Can-Am Maverick X3) and Michiel Becx / Sander Van Barschot (Arcane T3). Janus van Kasteren also races for Renders Racing with Marcel Snijders.
Van Eerd Racing sends Carlo Heezen / Roy van der Zanden, Thijs jr. Heezen / Sam Van Kemenade and Rene Van Eerd / Jan Van der Vaet (Belgium) to the start in Can-Am Maverick X3s.
Erik Wevers and Floor Maten drive a Taurus T3 EVO Max.
ATS Rally fields Andre Thewessen and Arjan Van Tiel. Gerard Spelt and Sebastiaan Spekman race for Meer Holding Rally.
Motorcycles: Dutch Desert Vikings
In the motorcycle category, the Dutch Desert Vikings riders stand out: Wouter de Graaff (#121, Husqvarna FR 450 R), Bart van Olst (#122, Husqvarna FE 510) and Dennis Verswijver (#124, Husqvarna 450). Guillaume Martens (#136) rides a GasGas RX 450F.
Full Overview of Dutch Participants
Trucks:
- Kay Huzink, Corné Blok, Mark Salomons (#501)
- Martin van den Brink, Hans van den Brink, Siënna van den Brink (#502)
- Max van Grol (#505)
- William, Jessie and Wesley van Groningen (#504)
- Marnix Leeuw, Bart Gloudemans, Marije van Ettekoven (#506)
- Fons Jans, Renaldo Schrave, Hans Heerema (#507)
Cars:
- Mitchel van den Brink, Bart van Heun (#301)
- Mike van Eikeren, Jasper Riezebos (#302)
- Gert-Jan van der Valk, Branco de Lange (#307)
- Rients Hofstra, Evert Boersma (#312)
- Ronald van Loon, Erik Lemmen (#306)
- Arjen van Asselt, Jari Hendriks (#322)
- John Groen, Arjan Arendse (#324)
SSVs:
- Janus van Kasteren, Marcel Snijders (#205)
- Erik Wevers, Floor Maten (#202)
- Gert Huzink, Hugo Kupper (#203)
- Michiel Becx, Sander Van Barschot (#208)
- Bert van Druten, Patric Brinkman (#209)
- Ruud Vollebregt, Patricia Vollebregt (#211)
- Thijs jr. Heezen, Sam Van Kemenade (#212)
- Rene van Eerd (#215)
- Laurens Meijer, Gerrit Meijer (#216)
- Mike Daas (#217)
- Janus Sr van Kasteren, Martijn van der Burgt (#218)
- Andre Thewessen, Arjan Van Tiel (#219)
- Jeroen van Kasteren, Rik Vaessen (#221)
- Gerard Spelt, Sebastiaan Spekman (#223)
- Carlo Heezen, Roy van der Zanden (#228)
- Nico Gründmann, Johan Pouw (#234)
- Marcel van Berlo, Olaf Harmsen (#235)
- Peter Erren, Edwin van der Vegt (#236)
- Frederik Meijer, Floor Meijer (#239)
- André van Gerven, Ted Peters (#244)
- Willem Meijer, Rudolf Meijer (#206)
- Bas Buijnsters, Pieter Herijgens (#243)
Motorcycles:
- Wouter de Graaff (#121)
- Bart van Olst (#122)
- Dennis Verswijver (#124)
- Guillaume Martens (#136)
RAID:
- Wilko van Oort, Bart Straatman
- Bruno Tideman, Jan Pluis
- Mitchell Plaizier, Jeroen de Nijs
- Richard Wigman, Bianca Wigman
- Raymond Meurs, Alfons Bouwen
- Gerrit Arie, Carmen den Otter, Sara den Otter
- Fred Mastop
With this mass of Dutch participants across virtually every category, the Netherlands is the best-represented nation in the Morocco Desert Challenge. The finish in Saïdia is scheduled for Saturday 18 April.
