The Frenchman also made a few navigational errors, but instead of panicking, he kept calm and managed to find a waypoint he had missed, avoiding any time penalties. He ended the stage in fifth after setting a time of 2 hours, 51 minutes, and 22 seconds and remains third in the overall standings, just over an hour behind the leaders in a very strong position to secure a podium on debut.
Once again, Ténéré Spirit Experience (TSE) rider Kevin Gallas showed his potential in his first-ever rally raid. Racing on the standard Ténéré 700 World Raid with the three-stage GYTR kit fitted and showcasing its performance in some of the harshest conditions on the planet, he just missed out on making it three consecutive stage podiums, as he finished in fourth with a time of two hours, 50 minutes and 36 seconds. The German is now fourth overall, nine minutes and 49 seconds behind Paulin.
Continuing Yamaha’s dominance of the “Over 450cc” category, TSE riders Nicolas Charlier and Bertrand Gavard finished the stage in eighth and 12th, respectively, to ensure another lockout of the top five places in class for Yamaha on the day and in the general classification as the Ténérés continue to take the fight to the 450cc single-cylinder prototype machines.
Carta Rallye – Stage 4 Results
Carte Rallye – General Classification After Stage 4
Alessandro Botturi – P6 Overall – 13h35m29s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“It was a good stage and I managed to make up more time on my rivals in the general classification! I am pushing as hard as possible, but it is not easy as I am still very sick, so it is easier to get tired. I made a few mistakes today, as it was hard to focus, but so did a lot of other people, as the navigation was very tricky. The bike was amazing, as the terrain was tough, but it never missed a beat. I am now just trying to rest as much as possible to allow my body to recover, and I look forward to the next stage.”
Gautier Paulin – P3 Overall – 12h39m55s
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“Stage 4 involved 200 km of sandy riverbeds, gravel trails, and dunes. The roadbook was challenging to read due to the numerous notes, making it a significant test of my navigational skills. The bike has been flawless. Today, I experienced a massive moment and hit a hole, but the bike’s chassis was so stable that I was able to save it. Once again, it handled the dunes exceptionally well. I made a few small mistakes and had to stop near the end to locate a missing waypoint, but I remained calm and did not panic. I am still learning, so I am not rushing anything, and I attempted to ride alone as much as possible to learn even faster. Day by day, I feel more confident, so bring on Stage 4!”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“Today was a tough stage, especially for navigation. Everyone struggled at some point, but in the end, it was a great opportunity for Gautier to learn. Alessandro made some mistakes, but this is to be expected, as did everyone else, and he is suffering from a severe fever. He did a fantastic job considering this, and as everyone knows, with Alessandro, he will never give up. It was also another great day for the TSE riders, with Kevin once more impressing. We need to remain focused now, as we have passed the halfway stage, and I am delighted by how we are all working together as a team. Each night, all the riders come together to discuss the day and any issues they encountered so that we can be stronger together. There are three stages left, so we need to stay focused and keep pushing!”
