Tag Archives: Tuareg

2024 Africa Eco Race: Aprilia Takes Overall Victory

Aprilia started its Back to Africa project with one purpose in thoughts: To take the Tuareg 660 to the Africa Eco Race and check its would possibly in opposition to all the things that one of many world’s main rally raid occasions may throw at it. Fast ahead to January 2024, and Aprilia’s Jacopo Cerutti stood proudly on the high of the 2024 Africa Eco Race podium.

He and teammate Francesco Montanari each took their rally-prepped Aprilia Tuareg 660s to contest one of many world’s hardest occasions. Modifications from the inventory bike embrace an Öhlins by Andreani suspension, an SC-Project titanium exhaust, and a Sprint Filter air filter. 

Both Cerutti and Montanari put in a formidable displaying, with Cerutti beginning out because the veteran within the pairing and Montanari because the rookie. Throughout the occasion, Cerutti persistently stayed within the high three with Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team riders Alessandro Botturi and Pol Tarrés. 

Together, the trio swapped locations within the high three throughout every stage, and the occasions have been fairly shut between them. When all was stated and completed, in any case 12 phases of the 2024 AER, lower than 26 minutes separated the highest three riders.

2024 Africa Eco Race Top 10 Finishers Overall

Once all of the occasions have been added up and any relevant time penalties assessed, here is how the highest 10 riders fared based on the official outcomes.

Rider Team 2024 AER Total Time
Jacopo Cerutti Aprilia Racing GCorse 39:52:49
Alessandro Botturi Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 39:59:27
Pol Tarrés Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 40:17:58
Alexandre Vaudan Casteu Trophy 44:22:39
Attilio Fert France Road Book 45:27:52
Marco Aurelio Fontana Honda Genuine Oil 45:47:08
Marco Menichini Solarys Racing 45:55:33
Francesco Montanari Aprilia Racing GCorse 47:46:06
Nicolas Charlier Yamaha Tenere World Raid Team 47:48:57
Nicola Quinto Jacque De Molay Team Solarys 48:15:33

“I had quite a scare today, because at the 20th kilometer there was a bit of a mix-up on a note and I thought my rivals had dropped me. But then I found the track again and it was me who caught Botturi,” Cerutti stated after the race.

“From that moment on, we went on together and I brought the result home. I must compliment my opponents for the fairness they showed throughout the race, it was really an honor to battle with them,” he added.

“It was a very tense Africa Eco Race for us, leading from the start with Botturi and Tarres putting pressure on us, but we managed it. Thanks also to a great bike; the Tuareg proved itself equal to a demanding marathon like this. I can’t wait to celebrate together with the team!”

Extra Particulars About Aprilia’s Tuareg Rally Prototype Emerge

Aprilia has been testing their new Aprilia Tuareg prototype, specifically constructed for conquering the desert, and issues are wanting fairly promising. The manufacturing unit riders, Jacopo Cerutti and Francesco Montanari had some optimistic suggestions after the bike’s first check runs.

The public received a sneak peek of the Tuareg in the course of the superior Aprilia All-Stars celebration on May 27. This beast of a motorbike relies on the technical platform of the inventory mannequin, which has been kicking ass within the Italian Motorally Championship. They selected that terrain to develop the “Back to Africa” project.

Aprilia Racing, in collaboration with Gcorse (owned by the Guareschi brothers), worked their magic on the Tuareg, making it a beastly machine for the desert. They targeted on the chassis within the preliminary phases, introducing a brand new modular body and tweaking the geometries to make sure stability at excessive speeds and higher suspension journey. Over the subsequent few months, they’re going to be engaged on engine improvement and including a supplementary tank. 

The competitors model of the Aprilia Tuareg 660 is decked out with Öhlins by Andreani suspension, a titanium SC Project exhaust, and a particular Sprint Filter air filter. Metzeler jumped on board too, as they’re eager on the journey world of twin-cylinder bikes and selected Aprilia to develop merchandise for future rally raids.

Recently, Aprilia Racing and GCorse took half within the fifth and sixth trials of the Italian Motorally Championship in Umbertide. Both Jacopo Cerutti and Francesco Montanari, using the manufacturing unit Aprilia Tuareg 660 machines, proved themselves as high contenders within the G-1000 class, which is reserved for multi-cylinder bikes over 600ccs.

As for the suggestions from Ceritti and Montanari, that is what they needed to say: 

“The sensations within the saddle of the primary Tuareg prototype for the desert had been instantly optimistic! There continues to be a lot work to do, however we’re assured in view of the subsequent improvement steps as a result of the beginning base by way of chassis structure is excellent. After the checks in Sardinia, we received again to racing in Umbertide, bringing dwelling outcomes that now enable us to reach on the ultimate spherical of the championship main within the standings. We’ll be within the combine all the way in which to the top, and this could go away us happy and proud. The solely disappointment was Saturday. I had struggled a bit within the first particular, however within the second, which was cancelled because of inclement climate, I had managed to shut the hole and I might have been capable of take a win that may have been helpful to us. I began Sunday on the assault. There had been two actually quick particular trials deliberate for the rally and I knew that there could be a minimal margin for error. It was a query of seconds in opposition to Botturi and, ultimately, regardless of a mistake within the second particular trial, I managed to grab it. The feeling with the bike and with the Metzeler tyres was optimum, particularly on the rear, the tyre held up effectively regardless of the facility and I used to be all the time capable of depend on loads of traction.”

“The first check with the Tuareg for African races was improbable. You can really feel the enhancements on the chassis structure stage right away and so they allow you to pressure the tempo extra simply. I believe we’re headed in the fitting path. On the primary day of the Umbertide Motorally, sadly I didn’t journey effectively. I made varied errors in navigation, late in studying the notes and consequently dropping floor. On the second day, issues went higher. Knowing that we’d sort out quick and quick particular trials, I attempted to journey extra easily and it went effectively ultimately, with placement on the rostrum that lets me arrive on the ultimate spherical in third place total.”