The Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team is aiming to secure back-to-back victories at the TransAnatolia rally in Turkey after completing a 1-2 in the 2023 edition, with Alessandro Botturi spearheading their attack at the event that runs from the 1st-7th of September.
The 14th edition of the TransAnatolia will see the Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team participate in the rally for the second consecutive year. In 2023, they created history, with Pol Tarrés becoming the first rider on a twin-cylinder adventure bike to win the event and his teammate Botturi making it a 1-2 for the team.
They followed this up with even more success in 2024, securing a double podium at the Africa Eco Race in January and then rewriting the record books once more with a dominant victory at the Morocco Desert Challenge, which saw Tarrés in unstoppable form to take the win, again, the first for a twin-cylinder adventure bike at the rally, by over two hours.
Experienced Italian Botturi is out for victory this year in Turkey as he looks to defend the team’s title on his Ténéré 700 World Rally with the three-stage GYTR kit fitted, against his rivals on 450cc prototype machines.
He will be joined on the team’s second bike by young Italian Motorally Champion and Ténéré Spirit Experience (TSE) rider Matteo Druisiani, who will be getting his first taste of international rally raid competition. On top of this, there will also be another three TSE riders taking part in the Racing category, while five more will participate in the Raid category, where they get to experience the thrill of rally raid alongside the official team, but without the pressure of riding against the clock.
The route for the 2024 TransAnatolia sees competitors start from the port city of Mersin in the south of the country before traversing more than 2000km over a mix of rocky and mountainous terrain to Van in the east over the course of seven days. The weather also adds an extra element to the mix due to the high altitude of a number of the stages, with rain and colder temperatures providing a stark contrast to the conditions the team usually face in Africa.
Alessandro Botturi
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team
“I am ready and looking forward to the TransAnatolia. Every year, the competition gets tougher, and it will be a long race over seven days without any rest. It features a combination of terrain with a rocky mountainous section, some fast gravel tracks, and everything in between. Plus, of course, the weather can play a part too. I have been training hard and cannot wait to get back on the Ténéré, and as always, I will try my best to achieve the best result possible.”
Marc Bourgeois
Ténéré Yamaha Rally Team – Team Manager
“It’s great to go into the TransAnatolia Rally after the summer break. It will be good to have some competition and get some kilometres in with our riders and crew. It’s nice to be back in action before the Africa Eco Race, even if there is still some time until then. It’s good after the break to practice and test some new settings on the bike. Alessandro will spearhead our attack in Turkey, and we will have a new young Italian rider, Matteo Drusiani. It’s a chance for him to test himself in an international event as he normally competes in the Motorally championship in Italy. It will be a good opportunity for him. So, we’re really excited to be here!”
