The eleventh Africa Eco Race presented

Prestigious appointment for the world from the rally raid on Thursday 21 June to Casino di Venice where the organization of Africa Eco Race e Motor Bike Expo the protagonists of the adventure, drivers and journalists, met for the official Italian presentation of the eleventh edition of the race which will start from the Principality of Monaco on 30 December and arrive in Dakar on 13 January. Present Anthony Schlesser (son of the owner Jean Louis Schlesser) to Rene Metge, reconnaissance of the route, together with the Italian representative of the race Franco Picco, Francesco Agnoletto e Paula Somma for MBE. The evening in the splendid Venetian setting was also an opportunity to present the new one Turkmen Desert Race, which will take place from 11 to 15 September. The greatest attention of all those present was obviously focused on the Africa Eco Race, the African adventure par excellence which this year will be the only rally raid to cross three countries with its race route, namely Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal, as well as to the French section, from Monaco to embarkation in Sète, however considered a simple approach.

Africa Eco Race: the event

With its 6500 kilometers of which 4500 of special stages, the start on European soil, the wonderful stages on the sand of the African desert, and the arrival at the legendary Pink Lake, the Africa Eco Race presents itself at this moment as the total rediscovery of adventure: a return to the origins of the great rallies, capable of providing exceptional content and perfect organisation, both technical and in terms of safety. The 2019 edition of Africa Eco Race will follow the path already known in past years without however faithfully following its footsteps: changes both to the stages on the Moroccan tracks and on the dunes further south, for an ever new adventure that puts all participants on the same slow especially in navigation, making the game difficult even for those who have already experienced the race one or more times. Twelve days of real competition - of which 5 in Morocco, 6 in Mauritania and one in Senegal - authentic bivouacs, circular stages and the "500 mile" marathon divided into two days, sand, dunes and technical tracks, 186 crews at the start in 2018, are the essential elements of a race that has already become legendary. The race towards Dakar is ready for every type of vehicle and every participant, whether expert or novice: the convivial style and atmosphere of the first exciting African raids will envelop and involve every participant. Motorcycles, cars, trucks and SSVs are at the start, and for two-wheelers the regulation also provides for the admission of displacements over 450cc: therefore room for twin-cylinder vehicles as in the best traditions of the past.

Africa Eco Race: the presentation

Many famous faces from rally raids were present at the presentation in Venice: among them the applauded Paolo Ceci, last year's motorcycle winner, who announced his safe participation in 2019, most likely driving an SSV navigated by his wife Sara Bioli. Among the expert drivers who will be competing for the first time in the next edition is Gianluca Tassi and who will launch a new double challenge in the desert with a car set up for disabilities and powered by an electric motor; and Alessandro Botturi, who has never run in the race that arrives at Lago Rosa and has officially announced his plan to run the Africa Eco Race. Epicenter of the rally raid world for one evening, the Venice Casino has officially opened, right from the city that has been the origin or landing place of journeys along fantastic routes, the next season of the African dream: the destination is Dakar, and the challenge has been launched .