Botturi Takes P2 as Ténéré Dominates Addax Rally Stage 3

Alessandro Botturi secured second place on Stage 3 of the Addax Rally as Yamaha’s Ténéré riders continued their clean sweep, with Kevin Gallas taking the win and maintaining the overall lead heading into the final two stages.

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The Addax Rally served up another demanding day in Morocco, but the Ténéré contingent rose to the challenge once again. Alessandro Botturi delivered a commanding ride to secure second place on Stage 3, keeping the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team firmly in the hunt for overall victory and extending the brand’s perfect stage-win streak.

A Navigational Gauntlet Across Morocco

Riders embarked on a 370 km route from Erfoud to Rissani before plunging into the harsh terrain around Jorf, a punishing mix of dried riverbeds, loose rocks, and unpredictable tracks. It was precisely the kind of stage where navigation mattered as much as outright speed.

Despite carrying a 15-minute penalty from Stage 1, Botturi continued his steady charge back up the leaderboard. Opening the stage, the Italian used his signature smooth pacing to stay composed over the long special. After five hours and 27 minutes on the Ténéré 700 Rally, he crossed the finish line just 46 seconds off the fastest time.

Gallas Takes the Win as Ténéré Spirit Experience Shines

The quickest rider of the day was Kevin Gallas of the Ténéré Spirit Experience. The German rider—who has been steadily growing his rally-raid reputation, clocked 5h26m16s to secure his first stage win of the event and maintain his overall lead.

TSE teammate Bertrand Gavard also punched in a strong performance, placing inside the top seven. But the day wasn’t trouble-free for all: Mike Wiedemann, running third overall after Stage 2, suffered significant damage from an unexpected rock strike. Unable to complete the stage, he will continue tomorrow, but is now out of the general classification fight.

General Classification: Ténéré Lockout Continues

With three stages completed, the top of the leaderboard is a Ténéré showcase.

• Kevin Gallas still leads the rally, now with a 4m07s advantage over
• Alessandro Botturi, who remains solidly in second overall.

The gap to the next closest rider stands at a massive 44 minutes, underscoring the dominance Yamaha machinery has displayed so far.

Stage 4: The Rally’s Most Iconic Test Awaits

The next special is one of the Addax Rally’s crown jewels. Riders will tackle 373 km through the towering dunes of Merzouga, the red Ouzina region, and the famed Ramlia tracks. Constantly shifting terrain, soft sand, rocky sections, oueds, and blinding dust mean precision will matter as much as horsepower.

With only two stages remaining and the Ténéré squad firmly in control of the overall standings, the focus now is on maintaining momentum, minimising risk, and keeping the blue bikes at the sharp end of the rally.

Stage 3 proved once again that the Addax Rally demands resilience, navigation mastery, and machines capable of absorbing the worst the desert can offer. So far, the Ténéré riders are answering every challenge.