Aprilia Tuareg Racing in the lead for the first stage of the 2025 Africa Eco Race

JACOPO CERUTTI, DEFENDING CHAMPION, DOMINATES AT THE END OF THE FIRST STAGE

The Aprilia Tuareg Racing Team is off to a brilliant start in the 2025 edition of the Africa Eco Race. After the traditional procession in Monte-Carlo, the race began officially on Tuesday, 31 December, from Tangier, with defending champion Jacopo Cerutti dominating the first of the 12 scheduled stages.

The opening stage consisted in a 755 km route, including 47 km of timed sections – brief but demanding – on a sandy track which was rather treacherous in some sections. The route took the riders to the first bivouac in Tarda, at the gates to the desert, after crossing the Middle Atlas.

Astride his Aprilia Tuareg Rally, Jacopo Cerutti finished the opening stage ahead of the rest, confirming a promising performance with the goal of defending his 2024 title. The Africa Eco Race reigning champion, Cerutti, finished in overall first place with a 55-second advantage. Francesco Montanari finished tenth overall at a gap of +8’46’’, whereas new-entry, Marco Menichini, making his Tuareg Rally début in the Under-25 category, finished the stage twelfth overall at a gap of +9’54”.

The Aprilia Tuareg Rally, developed in collaboration with the Guareschi brother’s GCorse, is proving once again to be highly competitive. With the results of this stage, the Tuareg confirms that it is a versatile bike, capable of adapting to any type of terrain, following the trail of success blazed in 2024 during its first appearance in the Africa Eco Race.

JACOPO CERUTTI 
“It was a short but intense stage. I was able to keep a good pace without making any mistakes and the first victory came. The bike gave me great sensations in these sandy conditions. It was important to stay at the front from day one. The second stage will be very long, but we will continue to give our best and defend the overall lead”.