The eleventh edition of the Morocco Desert Challenge got underway on Saturday with a 53-kilometre prologue from Ouarzazate. The course took competitors through a technical mountain descent, spectacular wadis with black gravel, and wide plateaus across the Moroccan interior. The Dutch contingent immediately delivered strong performances, though for some it was also a quick lesson in catching up.
Mitchel van den Brink dominates car class
In the car category, there was no debate over the fastest man. Mitchel van den Brink and Bart van Heun (MP Rallysport, Toyota Hilux T1+, #301) finished in 36 minutes and 14 seconds, claiming the fastest time across the entire field, nearly two minutes ahead of second-placed Rients Hofstra and Evert Boersma (Red-Lined Europe, #312), who finished in 38:13. Belgians Vincent Thijs and Tom De Leeuw completed the podium in 38:50.
Mitchel himself was measured about his opening run: “We started steadily, then pushed hard in the final section. Nothing went wrong, so very happy with today.” The Eurol Rally Sport team noted that the course was treacherous in places, with buggies stranded on the side, but that Mitchel and Bart were able to increase their pace in the closing stretch.
Mike van Eikeren and Jasper Riezebos (#302, MP Rallysport, Century CR-6) finished fourth in 40:22. Ronald van Loon and Erik Lemmen (#306, Oase Motorsport, Toyota SVR V6 EVO T1+) came fifth in 40:38. Gert-Jan van der Valk and Branco de Lange (#307, MP Rallysport) finished fourteenth in 48:56. Arjen van Asselt and Jari Hendriks (#322, Hamer Rally) were nineteenth in 56:29. John Groen and Arjan Arendse (#324, Desert Daltons) finished twentieth in 59:06.
Branco de Lange: scenic, but not without navigation challenges
Branco de Lange reflected on a prologue that began in hectic fashion. Within the first three kilometres, a buggy had gone off the road and rolled several metres down the hillside. “Fortunately everyone turned out to be okay,” De Lange wrote. “We immediately went the wrong way there, but found our bearings fairly quickly.” In a wadi, they also lost valuable seconds when another car found the right track just ahead of them. “Otherwise a lovely, fast stage through the mountains.”
Thewessen forced out
Less fortunate was André Thewessen (ATS Rally, #219). The Dutchman momentarily lost concentration, missed a corner as a result, and ended his prologue early. His front suspension sustained serious damage. He himself was physically unharmed. Thewessen accepted full responsibility and received permission from the organisation to switch to a reserve vehicle. He expected to be ready again before the start of Stage 2.
Martin and Siënna van den Brink impress
In the truck category, it was a special day for Eurol Rally Sport. Martin van den Brink, his daughter Siënna, and cousin Hans van den Brink (#502) posted the fastest time of 43:56, on Siënna’s very first outing as navigator in a serious rally. Kay Huzink, Corné Blok, and Mark Salomons (De Rooy FPT, #501) finished just five seconds later in 44:01. Pedro De Uriarte, Eduardo Vanzzini, and Max van Grol (De Rooy FPT, #505) were third in 45:59. Marnix Leeuw, Marije van Ettekoven, and Bart Gloudemans (Rijschool Fury, #506) finished fifth in 50:41. The Van Groningen family (Dust Warriors, #504) and Hamer Rally with Fons Jans, Hans Heerema, and Renaldo Schrave (#507) shared sixth and seventh with the exact same finishing time of 50:42. Martin van den Brink was satisfied: “I could focus well on the driving, while the youngster kept an eye on everything else. A solid start.”
Van Kasteren second behind Portugal’s Rodrigues
In the SSV category, the day’s win went to Portugal’s Paulo Rodrigues with Fausto Mota (#204) in 40:00. Janus van Kasteren and Marcel Snijders (#205, Renders Racing) finished second in 40:33, just 33 seconds off the winner. Willem Meijer and Rudolf Meijer (QFF Racing, #206) took third in 41:36, followed by Gert Huzink and Hugo Kupper (QFF Racing, #203) in fourth with 43:06. Jeroen van Kasteren and Rik Vaessen (Shiver Offroad, #221) finished sixth in 43:56. René Van Eerd and Jan Van der Vaet (Van Eerd Racing, #215) were tenth in 46:45.
Gerard Spelt and Sebastiaan Spekman (Meer Holding Rally, #223) crossed the line thirtieth in 53:55. Spelt reported that his SSV had briefly become stuck on a large rock in a section of fesh-fesh, causing cosmetic damage to the right lower wishbone. “Fortunately we were able to continue.”
Wouter de Graaff a strong third
In the motorcycle category, Frenchman Julien Dalbec was fastest in 49:51. Wouter de Graaff (Desert Vikings, #121) rode to an impressive third place in 52:36. Dennis Verswijver (#124, Desert Vikings) finished ninth in 54:58, Bart van Olst (#122) eleventh in 55:46. Guillaume Martens (#136) and Fred Mastop (#130) rounded out the Dutch contingent.
On to Stage 2
After the prologue, competitors made the rally’s only transfer to the bivouac in Foum Zguid. Sunday brings Stage 2, covering around 341 kilometres, with sandy tracks and small dunes heading west, a crossing of Lac Iriki, and the first dunes of Erg Chegaga, before competitors reach the bivouac in M’Hamid via sandy oueds. A true desert stage, where navigation and rhythm will be decisive from the outset.
