THE OUTGOING CHAMPION JACOPO CERUTTI IS THE BEST OF THE ITALIAN MANUFACTURER'S RIDERS, FINISHING FOURTH IN THE +650 TWIN-CYLINDER CLASS STANDINGS
Milan, 7 February 2026 - Aprilia Tuareg Racing's journey in the Africa Eco Race 2026 comes to a close with the conclusion of the twelfth and final stage: the traditional parade on the shores of Lake Rose (Dakar, Senegal). The seventeenth edition of the Africa Eco Race concludes in Dakar after more than 6,000 km covered from Morocco to Senegal via Mauritania.
Riding the Aprilia Tuareg Rally, Jacopo Cerutti finished his Africa Eco Race in fourth position in the twin-cylinder class and fifth overall, claiming a stage win and a class victory during the event.
From left: Montanari, Cerutti, Menichini.
In his second appearance at this competition with the Aprilia Tuareg Rally, Marco Menichini finished seventh in the +650 class and eighth overall. Menichini stood out for his consistency, particularly in the second half of the competition, highlighted by a fourth-place class finish in the seventh stage.
Francesco Montanari concluded the 2026 Africa Eco Race in eleventh place in the category standings at the end of a race also affected by a withdrawal during the fourth stage.
VITTORIANO GUARESCHI, GCorse: “Arriving here at Lake Rose with all three bikes is always a great feeling. It means we finished the race, and that is what matters. This year's Africa Eco Race was different from the previous two editions: overall it was tougher, with stages that were truly demanding for both the riders' physical stamina and the bikes. Furthermore, the general level has risen significantly, and our opponents arrived in excellent form. We were among the protagonists until Mauritania, then things didn't go as we expected.
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But in the end, we reacted, and in yesterday's stage, we returned to the positions we are used to, proving that we know we can be competitive. We have gained important insights on how to improve ahead of future competitions.”
Africa Eco Race 2026 on Aprilia.com:
https://www.aprilia.com/en_EN/aprilia-racing/aprilia-tuareg-racing/africa-eco-race/
AFRICA ECO RACE:
https://www.africarace.com/en
