Another Start in the Dunes – CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team Heads to the Sahara Desert

While autumn rains have already reached Europe, the athletes will soon face the dry sands of the Sahara Desert – the week-long Fenix Rally kicks off on October 29. Among the competitors will be the CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team. Although this rally was not part of their original season plan, the cancellation of the quad category in the Morocco Rally forced a change of schedule – which is how the Dinaric Rally and this desert start in Tunisia appeared on their calendar.

“These are long-awaited races – I’ve really missed the dunes and can’t wait to get back to them. Starting in the dunes is always exciting, and the next event with dunes will only come a year from now, in Abu Dhabi. We might see some dunes in Argentina, but in any case, we’ll have to wait a long time for that. It’s true that there are very few participants in this race, and only two quads in total, but there are several motorcycles, so we’ll find a way to create some competition for ourselves,” said Antanas Kanopkinas, adding that the main goal of this event is to prepare for the upcoming season.

Before departing from home, the team had a chance to experience the importance of strong partnerships – when they noticed at the last moment that their insurance had expired, their partners “Perlo Draudimas” handled it within minutes, allowing the team to depart on time as planned.

Since competition will be limited in this rally, the team will have the freedom to experiment and will even bring along several upgraded quad parts that have not yet been tested in racing conditions.

Over seven racing days, “Fenix Rally” participants will cover more than 2,750 kilometers, with 2,140 of those being timed special stages. Organizers note that this year’s routes will lead competitors through previously unseen tracks, including wild mountain passes, valleys, dry riverbeds, and, of course, plenty of sand and dunes. As is now common in cross-country rallies, participants will be using a digital roadbook.

The first special stage awaits competitors on Friday. Starting from the city of Monastir, the racers will cover 480 kilometers and spend the night in El Guettar.