Stage 2 Plage Blanche – Assa | Morocco Desert Challenge

Stage 2 Plage Blanche – Assa

Stage info

Today we travel from Agadir to Plage Blanche and further to Assa to start the special stage of 610km.

Tough stage prey for Boss Machinery Team De Rooy

The start of the stage took place on the beach of Plage Blanche. Because the organization’s helicopters could not take off due to low clouds, the start was postponed for two hours.

The special stage of 356 kilometers was opened with a couple start. Janus van Kasteren jr. was allowed to kick off with Vick Versteijnen on behalf of Boss Machinery Team De Rooy. The first kilometers on the beach went straight away. Then the course curved inland via an old river bed towards the finish town of Assa.

Janus summarized the course of the stage succinctly: “Today was a good start, two flat tires, ate tasty sandwiches and then drove to the finish.” It wasn’t as easy as it sounds. “This was a really tough day. You don’t have stages like this in Dakar. So many stones and potholes. For the material, this is really heavier than in a Dakar.” says Van Kasteren.

Mechanic Darek Rodewald didn’t have to say much and that’s usually a good sign. Two punctures in the first part of the stage ensured that the Iveco Powerstar with starting number 503 arrived behind Vick Versteijnen at the so-called “sandwich point”. Then Versteijnen had his share of tire trouble and Van Kasteren, Rodewald and Snijders drove confidently to the finish. The latter made one mistake by going straight ahead at a waypoint where the right direction had been.

Now that both the prologue and the first stage have been won, the challenge of winning all stages with the driven top team comes into the picture. Marcel Snijders also shows another ambition: “We want to see if a top ten place in the combined ranking with cars is possible.”

At Team De Rooy, the bar is always set high and that brings out the best in everyone. Of course with the crew in the cabin, but also the mechanics in the bivouac put their best foot forward. The Iveco Powerstar has to be spic and span again tomorrow for a new test.

On day three of this Morocco Desert Challenge, the special stage will count no less than 416 kilometers. The start is directly from the bivouac near Assa to end in Foum Zguid. The always dreaded chotts (dry riverbeds with swampy patches), soft fesh fesh sand and dunes are ready.

It remains to be seen whether rallyteam ‘Boss Machinery De Rooy’ will cross the line again as the winner. For now it’s a great start for Janus, Darek and Marcel.

Fantastic result in first serious stage for Anja van Loon

The first stage after the prologue, a stage of 353 kilometers, is a very strong one for Anja van Loon, Ben van de Laar and Suzanne Peek. During her debut in the Iveco Powerstar she finished third, a fantastic result.

Van Loon also opens strongly in the prologue with the fifth fastest time. After the first two tests, Van Loon is third in the standings, the Morocco Desert Challenge could not have started better.

“I am really very happy,” says Anja. “I didn’t expect a third time at all. It just went very well, it was a fun and diverse test. The takeoff was delayed considerably because the helicopters could not take off. So we came in at dusk.

The truck drives really well, it is much smoother and more manoeuvrable than expected. Things are going great in the truck. Ben’s experience is very nice and the collaboration with Suzanne is also great. The third position is great and better than expected, but we still have a little while to the finish so we keep doing our own thing. On to tomorrow!”