Marathon Stage Complete – Riders Woke Up Surrounded by Lions

The World Rally-Raid Championship round in South Africa has passed its halfway point. CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team riders have successfully completed the marathon stage and claimed their third stage win medal of the rally.

On Thursday morning, the athletes woke up in a remote bivouac, greeted by frost—and wild lions roaming just outside the fence.

“Marathon done – two great days, a lot of kilometers. The most important thing is that the quads survived, but we’re definitely tired. It was a tough and freezing night. Today we rode together with Gaëtan, the stage was very tricky, but we managed to get through it. We’re incredibly happy to have reached the finish of this two-day marathon stage,” said Antanas Kanopkinas.

His teammate Gaëtan Martinez agreed and added that the night was exceptionally cold and the route challenging:

“We woke up in a beautiful savanna, with the sun rising over a lake. At night we heard some noises—and it turned out there were lions roaming nearby. The tracks were narrow and technical, with complex navigation. I think we did really well. Now we’re getting ready for tomorrow.”

Once again, both riders posted the fastest times in their class—Antanas finished just two minutes behind Gaëtan. Thanks to their performance, the organizers awarded both of them with stage winner medals.

On Friday, the riders will face the longest distance of the rally—a total of 693 kilometers, including a 224-kilometer special stage. It's the second-to-last day of the rally, but the challenges remain just as intense: demanding navigation, tight and fast tracks, and hidden hazards throughout the route.