The image of a lone rally raid rider speeding across the desert. A thin plume of fesh-fesh rising into the air behind him as he throttles it through the Morrocan landscape. The back end of his machine dancing as it skirts over the sand. So goes the classic Paris Dakar Rally shot from the 80’s, etched into our brains from countless hours of newsreel coverage of the sport… An era now relegated to vintage footage, except for one man’s dream to recreate the golden age of rally raid and make it accessible to whoever has an 80’s / 90’s era dual sport or adventure motorcycle.
“Sandraiders is designed to live a new experience for all lovers of classic bikes and feel the same emotion on two wheels.” Says founder Pep Segura. An experience designed to replicate the original feel of a classic North African rally with all the modern aspects of safety and organization. A seasoned veteran of tours and races, he has designed the perfect package for experiencing the full gamut of a multi-stage rally raid event. ”Now I want all those people who share my way of life, to experience a unique adventure, almost the same as the Dakar Rally.”
This year’s event will once again see the podium-finishing Dakar legend and rally athlete Jordi Arcarons joining the Sandraiders team. “He is in love with adventure raids in Africa and will normally ride a Cagiva Elephant similar to the ones that participated in the actual Dakar.” And, with 16 Dakar entries alone to his name Jordi is well-versed in what it takes to complete a multi-day event successfully. He helps fellow participants with advice on tackling each stage’s specific hurdles and handles the morning briefings. Jordi has trained the likes of current Dakar competitor Laia Sanz, one of the few woman to consistently enter and complete the Dakar with a 13th place finish earlier this year. “The Dakarian spirit transmitted by Sandraiders reminds him of old times, and he wants to transmit this passion and feeling to the participants.”
Sandraiders started in 2014 and has already evolved with an increase in participants. A team of 20 people forms the support crew that moves in authentic rally style from stage to stage with two trucks and several 4×4 assistance cars. “In the first editions, we did not exceed 20 participants, but this year we have a forecast of about 65 participants, and we limit the registrations because an important element of this adventure is that there is a family atmosphere with participants feeling comfortable at all times.”
Each edition of the event is unique with Pep Segura and his team planning the route and deciding what obstacles and trail aspects to include. While winding its way through villages, the course covers different terrains from soft dune riding to hard-packed gravel roads, lowlands routes to high mountain passes.. “In the 2016 edition, a stage covered part of Playa Blanca, and the participants found themselves in a spectacular setting, but with the risk that the tide would rise suddenly stranding them but the participants really enjoyed themselves while riding such a challenging section.” The event gives ample opportunity for the riders to interact and experience the local flavor of Morocco and the hospitality of its people.
The event is based on the principal of camaraderie and freedom. “It’s a setting where everyone helps, waits for his group and where we completely enjoy the true feeling of freedom.” Sandraiders is open to anyone with a love for vintage dual sports motorcycles and epic riding. While not a competition, there are orienteering tracks with obligatory checkpoints along the route that participants need to complete, and the event is structured to deliver the Dakarian spirit. “At the start of every stage, a road book, GPS tracks and a survival food kit are issued to all riders. Every rider goes to their rhythm, sometimes in groups of five or six, usually by affinities or riding level.”
All participating bikes in Sandraiders are classic motorcycles like those used in the rally of the 80’s: trails, maxi-trails, scrambler, enduros, etc. “The motorcycles must also be reliable since they will be completing daily stages of up to several hundred kilometers” Two mechanics with experience in classic bikes form part of the support crew to help with potential breakdowns. The bikes must be prepared beforehand for the challenging terrain covered during a rally raid event; however, if serious problems arise or a participant does not have the mechanical experience required, the competition-tested mechanical support team will step in to fix the problem. “Often they work during the night for several hours so that the bikes are fully prepped for the next day’s stage.”
The event runs from the 28th of April to the 6th of May. It starts in Casablanca and the first day sees a ride to Beni Mellal via tracks and secondary roads until you reach the foot of the Atlas Mountains. The next morning participants set out for a mountain stage, crossing the Atlas through mountain passes over 3000 meters until reaching the “Valle de las Rosas” and ending up at Boulmane-Dades. Day three is a combined stage with all types of terrain, starting with mountains and descending between stony tracks to arrive at Merzouga where the Saharan stages will begin.
Here enters the most authentic stage of the event. Day four is a marathon stage where the riders cross the dunes, and only the essentials can be carried on the bikes. In this stage, assistance vehicles will bring all the logistic material (food, tents, etc.) to the point where you will spend the night. “This night of camping will be the most special of all, based on “mechoui”, good wine, laughs and shared stories. Day five has the pack heading on a route that will take them to the dunes of Erg Chegaga. “We will cross a river of sand to arrive at the end of the stage and sleep in a good hotel.”
Day 6 sees riders bid farewell to the Saharan sands only to welcome a diverse range of landscapes connected by picturesque villages. The day ends at the noted film-making town of Ouarzazate. Setting out on the last day of riding you cross the Atlas through an area full of Kasbas, and then descend through one of the most impressive mountain passes in Morocco to arrive at the purple city of Marrakech where a warm shower and a good bed awaits.
All bookings include the following: bike transport to-and-from Morroco (with collection points in Europe), full accommodation (6 nights in a hotel and two in a bivouac), experienced guides with satellite telephones along with Road-books and GPS tracks for each stage, a dedicated SPOT beacon for satellite tracking with an on location medical team that can provide repatriation in case of a medical emergency. Also, a full complement of mechanical assistance and support crew will be present throughout the event. And of course, a finishers trophy.
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