Rallye du Maroc gets underway: dust and the battle with an early morning

The penultimate round of the World Rally-Raid Championship got underway in Morocco on Monday, with competitors kicking off their week with the prologue. After nearly 17 timed kilometres and around 160 kilometres of liaison between Agadir and the course, CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team rider Antanas Kanopkinas joked that the first challenge of the day was simply staying awake after such an early start.

“The prologue is done and everything went according to plan. The most important thing in the morning was to stay focused and not fall asleep on the quad on the way to the start. The day began very early and we haven’t fully adjusted to this rhythm yet, so the mornings ahead will still be challenging. Despite that, everything went really well on the course and I managed to make one overtake. There was also a lot of dust,” said Kanopkinas after completing the prologue, adding that he was happy with the result.

Looking at the overall field of more than 130 motorcycle and quad competitors, Kanopkinas sits roughly in the middle of the standings – a comfortable position that leaves him satisfied heading into the first full stage.

The quad also performed without any issues on the opening day, so spirits within the team are high. However, there is little time to relax. Tuesday will bring the first full racing stage of Rallye du Maroc, during which the entire rally bivouac will move from Agadir to Zagora, a city located closer to the Algerian border and surrounded by mountains.

On the first full day of racing, competitors will face a special stage of more than 170 kilometres. Over the five racing days ahead, they will have to cover a total of 1,526 timed kilometres.