The 2016 Africa Eco Race was the 8th edition of the rally-raid which replaced the Dakar Rally after its departure to South-America.
Paul Ullevalseter (with KTM, won 9 of the 11 contested stages) and Anton Shibalov (with Kamaz, won 7 of the 12 stages), like in 2015, dominated completely the race in bikes and trucks categories, while Kanat Shagirov took the race lead yet in Morocco and keep it to the end.ww.rtp.pt/noticias/motores/africa-eco-race-elisabete-jacinto-termina-na-terceira-posicao_d887151
Stages StageDateStartFinishConnectionSpecialConnectionTotal129-Dec Nador Jorf El Hamam 50 km 100 47 km 463 km613 km cancelled Y. Sazonov S. Kuprianov230-Dec Jorf El Hamam Tagounite 75 km 313 km 15 km403 km P. Ullevalseter M. Serradori A. Shibalov331-Dec Tagounite Assa 15 km 451 km 92 km558 km P. Ullevalseter Y. Sazonov A. Shibalov41-Jan Assa Remz el Quebir 0 km 409 km 0 km409 km P. Ullevalseter J. Sabatier A. Shibalov52-Jan Remz el Quebir Dakhla 0 km 453 km 242 km695 km P. Ullevalseter K. Shagirov A. Shibalov 3-JanRest day in Dakhla64-Jan Dakhla Chami 438 km 174 km 5 km617 km P. Ullevalseter D. Housieaux S. Kuprianov75-Jan Chami Amodjar 0 km 414 km 30 km444 km A. Newland K. Shagirov A. Shibalov86-Jan Amodjar Amodjar 79 km 377 km 42 km498 km P. Ullevalseter M. Serradori A. Shibalov97-Jan Amodjar Akjoujt 23 km 445 km 25 km 493 km P. Ullevalseter J. Sabatier T. Tomecek108-Jan Akjoujt Akjoujt 0 km 379 km 24 km 403 km P. Ullevalseter D. Gerard T. Tomecek119-Jan Akjoujt Saint-Louis 0 km 208 km 340 km548 km D. Agoshkov M. Serradori S. Kuprianov1210-Jan Saint-Louis Dakar 230 km 24 km 41 km295 km P. Ullevalseter P. Gosselin A. Shibalov
Summary Bikes The race was marked by high hardness on the stages of the great soft dunes in Mauritania which caused major changes in the overall classification, particularly in stages 9 and 10. As in 2015, Pål Ullevalseter completely dominated the race, finishing with a lead over 6 hours, being followed by the amazing Andrew Newland, a civil-contraceur. Anastasiya Nifontova has always been in the podium places until she had an accident in stage 9. The Portuguese Jose Fernando Moreira de Sousa (father) and José Fernando de Jesus Sousa Jr. (son) worked as a team and achieved five podiums and finished 7th and 8th respectively .
Cars The Kazakh driver Sazonov dominated the start of the competition with his Hummer until he had an accident during 4th stage, giving way to his compatriot Shagirov in Toyota Hilux Overdrive, which managed to keep the lead until the end, despite the attacks of buggys, more effective in the dunes which ended in the following positions. The last year's winner Jean Antoine Sabatier was only 4th place. Sazonov was 7 between the cars and the 2nd best 4WD. Ricardo Leal dos Santos started the race with a 3rd place, but soon had mechanical problems finishing only 12th in cars, 3rd among the 4WD.
Trucks In trucks category, complete domination by Kamaz and defending champion Anton Shibalov, only interrupted by Tomas Tomecek in stages 9 and 10 (when Kamaz faced problems), despite the problems he had in the 4th stage (2 flat tyres and broken shock-absorber) and early loss of his assistance truck due to mechanical issues. A breakdown in the 2nd Kamaz of Kuprianov would put him out of the podium completed by Elisabete Jacinto making of regularity her main weapon.
Stage results Bikes Stage result General classification Stage Pos CompetitorMakeTimeGap Pos CompetitorMakeTimeGap1 Stage cancelled due to delay in ferry-boat.21 Pål UllevålseterKTM04:21:291 Pål UllevålseterKTM04:21:292 Stefano ChiussiHusqvarna04:45:2623:572 Stefano ChiussiHusqvarna04:45:2600:23:573 Andrew NewlandKTM04:45:5624:273 Andrew NewlandKTM04:45:5600:24:2731 Pål UllevålseterKTM06:16:281 Pål UllevålseterKTM10:37:572 Anastasiya NifontovaHusqvarna06:29:1712:492 Andrew NewlandKTM11:30:3300:52:363 Andrew NewlandKTM06:44:3728:093 Dmitry AgoshkovKTM11:33:4800:55:5141 Pål UllevålseterKTM05:32:011 Pål UllevålseterKTM16:09:582 Norbert DuboisKTM05:46:2014:192 Andrew NewlandKTM17:21:4801:11:503 Andrew NewlandKTM05:51:1519:143 Anastasiya NifontovaHusqvarna17:27:2301:17:2551 Pål UllevålseterKTM05:18:271 Pål UllevålseterKTM21:28:252 José Sousa Sr.KTM06:00:2942:022 Anastasiya NifontovaHusqvarna23:44:0702:15:423 Yevgeniya NesterovaHusqvarna06:00:3542:083 Dmitry AgoshkovKTM23:47:2802:19:0361 Pål UllevålseterKTM01:29:021 Pål UllevålseterKTM22:57:272 Norbert DuboisKTM01:35:3706:352 Anastasiya NifontovaHusqvarna25:25:1502:27:483 Dmitry AgoshkovKTM01:39:0009:583 Dmitry AgoshkovKTM25:26:2802:29:0171 Andrew NewlandKTM05:30:361 Pål UllevålseterKTM28:31:182 Norbert DuboisKTM05:33:2102:452 Anastasiya NifontovaHusqvarna31:09:2102:38:033 Pål UllevålseterKTM05:33:5103:153 Dmitry AgoshkovKTM31:22:3402:51:1681 Pål UllevålseterKTM06:29:101 Pål UllevålseterKTM35:00:282 Andrew NewlandKTM06:57:4928:392 Norbert DuboisHusqvarna38:56:3803:56:103 José Sousa Jr.KTM07:01:1832:083 Anastasiya NifontovaHusqvarna39:13:0004:12:3291 Pål UllevålseterKTM06:11:071 Pål UllevålseterKTM41:11:352 José Sousa Sr.KTM06:23:1812:112 Dmitry AgoshkovKTM46:33:0405:21:293 José Sousa Jr.KTM06:25:1714:103 Andrew NewlandKTM46:53:0705:41:32101 Pål UllevålseterKTM05:04:411 Pål UllevålseterKTM46:16:162 Andrew NewlandKTM05:20:2315:422 Andrew NewlandKTM52:13:3005:57:143 José Sousa Jr.KTM05:41:4637:053 Stephane HamardHusqvarna52:49:1506:32:59111 Dmitry AgoshkovKTM01:50:361 Pål UllevålseterKTM48:12:132 Stephane HamardHusqvarna01:52:3501:592 Andrew NewlandKTM54:14:5306:02:403 Pål UllevålseterKTM01:55:5705:213 Stephane HamardHusqvarna54:41:5006:29:37121 Pål UllevålseterKTM00:11:001 Pål UllevålseterKTM48:12:132 Julien SanchezYamaha00:11:4100:412 Andrew NewlandKTM54:14:5306:02:403 Norbert DuboisKTM12:1201:123 Stephane HamardHusqvarna54:41:5006:29:37
Cars Stage result General classification Stage Pos CompetitorMakeTimeGap Pos CompetitorMakeTimeGap11 Yuriy Sazonov Arslan ShakhimovH300:37:251 Yuriy Sazonov Arslan ShakhimovH300:37:252 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive00:40:1702:522 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive00:40:1700:02:523 R. Leal dos Santos Mykel JustoNissan Navara00:40:2703:023 R. Leal dos Santos Mykel JustoNissan Navara00:40:2700:03:0221 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto03:31:141 Yuriy Sazonov Arslan ShakhimovH304:10:072 Yuriy Sazonov Arslan ShakhimovH303:32:4201:282 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto04:14:4300:04:363 Anton Grigorov Roman ElaginOSC03:36:5405:403 Anton Grigorov Roman ElaginOSC04:18:5800:08:5131 Yuriy Sazonov Arslan ShakhimovH305:06:241 Yuriy Sazonov Arslan ShakhimovH309:16:312 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD05:09:2503:012 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto09:43:5300:27:223 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive05:10:4004:163 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive09:45:3900:29:0841 Jean Antoine Sabatier Agostino RizzardiBugga One04:44:331 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive14:33:542 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD04:46:5902:262 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD14:42:3800:08:443 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive04:48:1503:423 Jean Antoine Sabatier Agostino RizzardiBugga One15:03:2600:29:3251 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive03:59:141 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive18:33:082 Anton Grigorov Roman ElaginOSC04:00:5401:402 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD19:00:5100:27:433 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto04:04:0204:483 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto19:14:2600:41:1861 Dominique Housieaux Loic FagotOptimus MD01:15:441 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive19:50:212 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive01:17:1301:292 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD20:19:0000:28:393 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD01:18:0902:253 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto20:41:3500:51:1471 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive04:30:221 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive24:20:432 Jeremie Choiseau Jean BrucyOptimus MD04:47:5817:362 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD25:14:5000:54:073 Anton Grigorov Roman ElaginOSC04:49:5419:323 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto25:45:5901:25:1681 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto06:03:091 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive30:33:062 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD06:06:2003:112 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD31:22:1500:49:093 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive06:12:2309:143 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto31:49:0801:16:0291 Jean Antoine Sabatier Agostino RizzardiBugga One05:19:411 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive36:48:322 Patrick Martin Didier BigotVolkswagen Buggy05:27:5808:172 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD36:57:0900:08:373 Jean Pierre Strugo Christophe CrespoOptimus MD05:31:1211:313 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto38:08:5001:20:18101 David Gerard Gerard DubuyOptimus MD04:35:521 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive41:35:412 Guillaume Gomez Herve LavergneOptimus MD04:42:1906:272 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD42:02:2400:26:433 Patrick Martin Didier BigotVolkswagen Buggy04:43:2407:323 Jean Antoine Sabatier Agostino RizzardiBugga One43:17:0901:41:28111 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto01:26:491 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive43:11:502 Jeremie Choiseau Jean BrucyOptimus MD01:33:0606:172 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD43:36:3800:24:483 Patrick Martin Didier BigotVolkswagen Buggy01:34:1407:253 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto44:45:1301:33:23121 Philippe Gosselin Pascal VincentOptimus MD00:11:511 Kanat Shagirov Vitaliy YevtyekhovToyota Overdrive43:11:502 Balazs Szalay Laszlo BunkocziOpel00:12:1600:252 Pascal Thomasse Pascal LarroqueOptimus MD43:36:3800:24:483 R. Leal dos Santos Mykel JustoNissan Navara00:12:4500:543 Mathieu Serradori Didier HaquetteProto44:45:1301:33:23
Trucks