2026 Africa Eco Race victory for Kevin Gallas ahead of Tenere Yamaha Rally Team teammate Gautier Paulin and Jean-Loup Lepan third for Duust Rally team.

The 2026 Africa Eco Race officially came to a close by the shores of Lac Rose, in Dakar, Senegal. It was a highly successful one for the Yamaha Rally Team as Tenere Spirit Experience (TSE) rider Kevin Gallas was crowned the overall winner, with Gautier Paulin in the official Tenere Yamaha Rally Team took second among of five Teneres in the top seven overall, and a podium lockout of the Over 650cc class.

Stage 12 of the Africa Eco Race (AER) is a traditional race along the beach to the shores of Lac Rose, with a motocross-style start and no timings towards the general classification, it gives the riders a chance to enjoy a short 22 km special stage to Dakar, ending officially the rally to an end in a Tour de France-style with therace actually won 24hrs earlier.

Finishing by the shore of the legendary Lac Rose evoked memories of the Paris-Dakar rallies of the past with Mr Dakar, 14-time winner Stephane Peterhansel, joining the team riding a Tenere 700 Rally.

First major rally win for Gallas

Arriving at the podium, TSE rider Gallas was officially crowned the 2026 AER champion in the motorbike class, ahead of more experienced teammates. It was a dramatic finale with Gallas beating Gautier Paulin on Stage 11 by just 41 seconds.

Two stage wins and three podiums put the former Junior SuperEnduro World Champion on top of his celebrated teammates in just third rally raid. Paulin cemented a 1-2 for Yamaha with the former MXGP rider also competing in his first AER on a bike.

Gallas beat the closest competitor for the overall, Jean-Loup Lepan on a KTM 450 Rally by 15 minutes and 27 seconds.

Kevin Gallas – P1 Overall – 39h24m05s: “We finally made it to Lac Rose! Now it all feels real, and when I got to the podium, the emotions took over. This has been a long, tough rally, but to come away with the win and to make history with the Ténéré is a dream come true. It was an amazing battle with Gautier, and it came right down to the wire, after 6,000 km of racing, which is insane when you think about it. I want to personally thank every member of the team and everyone at Yamaha who has supported me and given me this amazing opportunity. Now it’s time to rest and recover, and then we will start planning for the Carta Rallye.”

Gautier Paulin – P2 Overall – 39h24m46s: “Wow, what an awesome way to finish an incredible race. Riding along the beach with my teammates was epic, and arriving at the legendary Lac Rose has always been a dream of mine since I was a young boy, watching the original Paris-Dakar rallies with my father. This has been an incredible couple of weeks. The bike has been perfect, the team are incredible, and I have made lifelong friends along the way. To also have secured second, well, I am thrilled considering it was my first AER on a motorbike. Thanks to the team and everyone at Yamaha, this has been an amazing experience, and I can’t wait to do it again.”

Marc Bourgeois, Tenere Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager

“Wow, just wow. What a day for Yamaha, the Tenere 700 Rally and the team. To win the rally for the first time in itself would be amazing, but to have secured a 1-2 and to have five Teneres in the top seven overall shows how competitive and reliable the bike is, especially when compared to our rivals on specialist 450cc single-cylinder bikes. The whole team should be very proud of their efforts. This is a long, hard rally, and they kept a positive attitude from the start, and every one of them deserves the plaudits as well. Thanks to Yamaha for the support, and now that we have the first AER win under our belt, we are hungry for more.”

TSE riders Mike Wiedemann scored three stage podiums to finish the rally in fourth overall, while Antonio Maio achieved another two podiums for Yamaha to end the rally in sixth overall.

That meant Tenere riders secured six stage wins in total, and a further 11 podiums. Other highlights include securing a lockout of the top five on Stage 10, one of the toughest of the rally, and securing seven spots, thanks to Nicolas Charlier (8th Over 650cc) and Bertrand Gavard (9th in Over 650cc), in the top nine of the Over 650cc class.

A last, sad note to pay respect after the passing of Robert van Pelt during the race. Enduro21 extends condolences to his family and friends.

Final Africa Eco Race Results here.

Photo Credit: Yamaha Racing