The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team, in partnership with Riders for Health (powered by Two Wheels for Life), rewrote the record books as the 2026 Africa Eco Race officially came to a close by the shores of Lac Rose, in Dakar, Senegal. Ténéré Spirit Experience (TSE) rider Kevin Gallas was crowned the overall champion, while Gautier Paulin secured second, and the records did not stop there, with five Ténérés 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. As the timings are not counted towards the general classification, it gives the riders a chance to enjoy a short 22 km special stage, after a 203 km liaison from the bivouac in Mpal to Dakar, and remains a fitting way to officially bring the rally to an end.
Finishing by the shore of the legendary Lac Rose, the stage evokes memories of the Paris-Dakar rallies of the past, especially with Mr Dakar himself, 14-time winner Stéphane Peterhansel, joining the team riding a Ténéré 700 Rally.
Arriving at the podium, TSE rider Gallas was officially crowned the 2026 AER champion in the motorbike class, marking the first time a Ténéré had featured on the top step. He did so in dramatic style too, winning after an incredible showdown against Paulin on Stage 11, which saw the German emerge victorious by just 41 seconds. He also secured two stage wins and three further podiums, showing remarkable consistency in only the former Junior SuperEnduro World Champion’s third rally raid.
Paulin ensured even more glory for Yamaha by finishing in second and cementing a 1-2 for the Ténéré 700 Rally. While he agonisingly missed out on victory, the former MXGP rider showed incredible pace and potential during the race, as he too is new to the sport of rally raid and was competing in his first AER on a motorbike. Securing three stage victories and another podium, he and Gallas beat the closest competitor on a 450cc single-cylinder machine by 15 minutes and 27 seconds, showcasing just how competitive the Ténéré is.
His teammate, Alessandro Botturi, a two-time winner of the AER, missed out on the win in the 2025 edition of the race by just 26 seconds in heartbreaking fashion after his wheels got caught in some netting on the final stage, and was determined to fight for the victory once more. Unfortunately, a technical issue on Stage 4 led to him losing over an hour, effectively ending any chance he had of adding a third AER crown to his name. After Stage 4, instead of pursuing his own glory, the 50-year-old focused on helping his teammates achieve the best results, while still securing a stage win and two more podiums during the event, to finish in seventh overall.
That wasn’t all, though, as TSE riders Mike Wiedemann and António Maio, from Germany and Portugal, respectively, achieved even more success for the Ténéré. Wiedemann scored three stage podiums to finish the rally in fourth overall, while Maio achieved another two podiums for Yamaha to end the rally in sixth overall.
That meant Ténérés 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.
The 2026 Africa Eco Race will go down in the history books as one dominated by the Ténéré, as the twin-cylinder adventure bike and the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team conquered one of the most brutal rally raids on the planet in commanding fashion. The team will be back in action at the Carta Rallye in Morocco from 18-24 April.
The Yamaha Racing family were saddened to learn of the passing of fellow competitor, Robert van Pelt Sr., during the race. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and teammates.
Stage 12 Results
Final AER General Classification
Kevin Gallas – P1 Overall – 39h24m05s
Ténéré Spirit Experience
“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
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“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.”
Alessandro Botturi – P7 Overall – 41h10m57s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“What a rally for Yamaha. It is always a special feeling reaching Lac Rose, but doing so with a Ténéré making history by winning is incredible. Bravo to Kevin and Gautier; they are both great riders, and while they are new to rally raid, they have incredible potential. I was obviously unable to fight for the victory after my issue on Stage 4, but helping my teammates achieve the amazing result was a reward in itself. Thanks to the entire team for their efforts, and I am already looking forward to the Carta Rallye.”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“Wow, just wow. What a day for Yamaha, the Ténéré 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 Ténéres 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.”
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