Africa Eco Race

Tuesday January 1st 2019: Stage 1 NADOR / LA MOMIE: 648,68km Liaison : Nador / Ameziane: 54,79km Leg: Ameziane / Merada: 90,57km Liaison: Merada / La Momie: 503,32km For the AFRICA ECO RACE® caravan, the year 2019 will begin with the early morning arrival of the GNV ferry in Nador. After two busy days at sea, navigating from the South of France, with many briefings and trainings for security and navigation equipment, this stage will be the perfect warmup. It will also be the opportunity to understand the difficulties of the rally when it comes to navigation and the numerous new tracks. For the drivers, some gravel tracks with a few technical passes will enable them to get slowly accustomed behind the wheel or handlebar of their vehicle. After the arrival, there will be a last 500km of liaison to the bivouac set up in La Momie, a location named after the famous movie that was filmed there.

Wednesday January 2nd 2019: Stage 2 LA MOMIE / FOUM ZGUID: 433,89km Liaison: 2,67km Leg: La Momie / Foum Zguid: 431,22km Finish at the Bivouac After a night, where negative temperatures aren’t uncommon at this time a year, the competitors will be amazed when stepping out of their tent, as they will be able to contemplate the mountainous panorama of La Momie, enlighten by the morning sun of Morocco. Even though well known by the regulars of the AFRICA ECO RACE®, this second stage will include a new dune chains and a brand-new track. An interesting rally start that won’t be as quiet as usual on this 400km of special sector. The experienced navigators will be able to pull through without much of a fight, as well as the other drivers who will have to be vigilant to avoid the traps of Moroccan tracks. As on half of the 12 stages of this 11th edition, the arrival will be at the bivouac. A good way to avoid any liaison issues et enable maximumrest.

Thursday January 3rd 2019: Stage 3 AGDAL / ASSA: 415km Start from the bivouac Leg: Agdal / Assa: 400,71km Liaison: Assa / Oued Draa-Assa: 14,29km This time, it will be a departure directly from the Bivouac, enabling the competitors to have that little extra rest and their assistance to see the vehicles leaving. This special sector, combining speed and navigation will cross mountain chains, dried out lacs and numerous military stations. The beginning of the stage won’t be too difficult thanks to tracks marked by cairns. Nevertheless, the Moroccan tracks are ruthless and tire problems will disrupt the ranking. Competitors will have to remain reasonable if they do not want to lose time. The end of the stage will be challenging when arriving towards the Oud Draa. The arrival will be set on the outskirts of the city of Assa, a usual stop for the AFRICA ECO RACE ®.

Friday January 4th 2019: Stage 4 OUED DRAA / FORT CHACAL: 494,57km Start from the bivouac Leg: Oued Draa-Assa / Fort Chacal: 492,75km Transfert to the Bivouac: 1,82km The competitors will once again border the Oued Draa on several miles by taking a slightly challenging part sand, part rock track. After M’seied, a large track will push the rally towards the south of Morocco. The landscapes will radically change. The co-pilots will have difficulty navigating through the smooth lands and fast tracks. The special sector will include a few downslopes. The offtrack parts from 2018 which were problematic for the navigation of many competitors, will be a distant memory as this portion has been transformed in a perfectly identifiable track. The 4th stage will end in a long fast and easy drive. With nearly 500km on the odometer of this 4th day, all teams will be happy to arrive at Fort Chacal.

Saturday January 5th 2019: Stage 5 FORT CHACAL / DAKHLA: 638,40km Transfert Oued Hamra: 4,97km Leg: Oued Hamra / Jreififa: 419,37km Liaison: Jreififa / Dakhla: 214,06km A new start and a new arrival for the last Moroccan stage. The new tracks inspired from last edition, will enable, experienced teams to be up front, as the desertic land of the South of Morocco won’t often be marked. A good way to end this first week of racing before the well-deserved traditional rest day for all the AFRICA ECO RACE®, along the Atlantic Ocean in Dakhla.

Sunday January 6th 2019 DAKHLA: Rest day For the fifth year in a row, the bivouac of the rest day will be set up in DAKHLA, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Warmer temperatures and a golden sun should be awaiting competitors for this well deserved day off. This day will enable teams to take care of their mechanicals issues and recover physically before preparing for the next Mauritanian stages.

Monday January 7th 2019: Stage 6 Stage cancelled. Footage is a recap of the previous stages.

Tuesday January 8th 2019: Stage 7 CHAMI / GARE DU NORD: 500,99km Liaison: Chami / Gare du Nord: 20,01km Leg: Gare du Nord / Chami: 480,98km Finish at the Bivouac This first special sector in Mauritania will also be the first of the two traditional loops in the AFRICA ECO RACE® Rally 2019. The fact that assistance is forbidden at the end of the special sector, means the mechanics will have plenty of time to rest. It won’t be the case for the competitors, as this stage, already raced in 2018, but this time in opposite direction, will be restless. Indeed, participants will feel the challenge on the first 30 kilometers with much camel grass, not very pleasant for the teams and their vehicles. Then will arrive the beautiful dunes for which the competitors will have to monitor their tire pressures and respect the roadbook to the letter to avoid any extra difficulties. At the same time, vehicles will have to be treated as gently as possible as there will be no mechanical assistance after the sandy 480km of the day and the arrival at the “Gare du Nord” Parc Fermé. Reliability will be the key word if competitors wish to depart in the morning without any problems.

Wednesday January 9th 2019: Stage 8 CHAMI / AMODJAR: 506,85km Départ du Bivouac Leg: Chami / Aouelil: 445,12km Liaison: Aouelil / Amodjar: 61,73km The rest of the marathon stage will begin by some nice offtrack followed by some serious dune crossings. The competitors will then be confronted to a mix of fast and sandy tracks. A true pleasure for the drivers but having driven hundreds of kilometers without any mechanical help, they will have to steadily manage their vehicles. Even more because the last third of the route will be challenging in terms of navigation and driving will several interesting cordons of dunes. Focus on the roadbook will be primordial to not miss the waypoints or make errors that would cost some precious time. A second day of the “500 miles” marathon stage that will without doubt shake the rankings.

Thursday January 10th 2019: Stage 9 AMODJAR / AMODJAR: 482,82km Liaison: Amodjar / Oued Chinguetti: 38,73km Stage: Oued Chinguetti / Chinguetti: 374,37km Liaison: Chinguetti / Amodjar: 69,72km Considered one of the nicest stage of this 11th edition, the competitors will make the most of the stunning landscapes of the Mauritanian desert. This special sector is familiar to regulars of the AFRICA ECO RACE® as this loop was part of last year’s route also. This time, the stage will be done in the opposite direction. Therefore, it will totally change the experience. The morning liaison towards Chinguetti will be through rocky tracks impossible to race on. A difficult start to the day but after a departure in the Oued Chinguetti, all the rest will be bliss with tracks in the heart of the dunes among mind-blowing panorama. Competitors will have to be tough and clever to face the challenges of the day. With no doubt, one of the most important stages of the race.

Friday January 11th 2019: Stage 10 AMODJAR / AKJOUJT: 519,86km Liaison: Amodjar / Ain Attaya: 48,28km Leg: Ain Attaya / Akjoujt: 471,58km Finish at the Bivouac In 2018, this same stage was the toughest since the creation of the AFRICA ECO RACE® according to René METGE. There were many changes in the ranking. This time, the organization teams decided to limit the difficulty of this stage and therefore only the first third of the special sector was kept. Therefore, the white valley and the El Nhouk pass are now back onto the program. Then, competitors will drive through new very interesting tracks and cordons of dunes. The arrival will be set at the bivouac not far from the city of Akjoujt in which the rally makes the most of their stop there to deliver several packages for the municipality and their children.

Saturday January 12th 2019: Etape 11 AKJOUJT / ST LOUIS: 556,20km Start from the bivouac Leg: Akjoujt / Fimlit: 217,69km Liaison: Fimlit / St Louis: 338,51km As usual, this final Mauritanian special sector will be relatively short to not waste time and enable everybody to join the St Louis Bivouac by sunset. Most part of the track will be sand tracks between the dunes with a just a few nice crossings in the first part. The second portion of the special sector should allow competitors to beat speed records, but they will need to focus until the arrival in Fimlit, near Nouakchott, to try and be part of the top three on the podium. The last 300km of the stage, with beautiful driving along the Senegal river and the border, will enable participants to meet with friends and family at the bivouac set up on the old aerodrome of Saint Louis.

Sunday January 13th 2019: Stage 12 ST LOUIS / DAKAR: 299,75km Liaison: St Louis / Niokhob: 229,67km Leg: Niokhob / Lac Rose: 21,93km Transfer: Lac Rose / Dakar: 48,15km After a night under the starry skies of Senegal, the sun won’t be up yet but competitors will begin their liaison towards Niokhob, fishing village along the Atlantic, located not far from Dakar. The traditional starting grid will be on the beach. A unique moment et the last chance to go full throttle and compete for the podium in this mythical special sector to the Lac Rose. These 22 last kilometers will be the winning streak for some, and for others, profound relief. The last formalities of this adventure will be participating in the award ceremony organized by the Senegalese Federation of Auto and Moto sport. The podium on the shores of the Lac Rose will be the opportunity for all heroes of this beautiful adventure to be congratulated by the officials, passionate, family, partners and friends present at the arrival of this 11th edition of the AFRICA ECO RACE®.