Jacopo Cerutti emerged as the winner of stage 7 of the Africa Eco Race, held this Tuesday. However, Alessandro Botturi maintained his lead in the overall standings.
The day was overshadowed by a serious accident in the refueling area. A light aircraft belonging to the organization experienced a technical issue during takeoff and collided with a fuel supply truck for the riders, resulting in severe injuries for Andrea Perfetti (RS Moto Honda Rally Team).
In the competition – which takes a backseat in importance in such situations where human life is at risk – Cerutti (Aprilia) completed the timed section between Benichab and Amodjar as the fastest rider. His teammate, Francesco Montanari, was second, trailing by 1m54s, followed by Guillem Martínez (Team Sénégal/KTM).
Botturi (Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team) finished only 10th, 10m51s behind Cerutti, but managed to maintain his lead in the overall classification with a 4m39s advantage over his closest rival. Montanari holds third place, over an hour and a half behind, with the top five rounded out by Pål Anders Ullevålseter (Team Norwit/KTM) and Guillaume Borne (Team GBR/Husqvarna).
The Africa Eco Race continues in Mauritania with Stage 8, scheduled for Wednesday, starting in Amodjar and finishing in Boucle Aderg, covering 351km of timed sections.