Pol Tarres backs down from no challenge. After showcasing the Yamaha Ténéré 700’s off-road, enduro, and trials capabilities in the Seeker video series, the Spanish rider only continued to push the middleweight ADV’s limits. In September, 2021, Tarres competed in the Red Bull Romaniacs aboard the T7 and followed that up with a 77th-place finish overall at the 2022 Erzbergrodeo.
As a hard enduro rider, Tarres felt right at home in both the Romaniacs and Erzbergrodeo competitions. The 2022 Africa Eco Race (AER) will take the Yamaha rider out of his element, though, forcing him to rely on his rally skills.
As an ode to the original Paris-Dakar Rally, the Africa Eco Race spans 16 days and 12 stages on a 5983-kilometer (3718-mile) route from Monaco to Senegal. The first stage kicked off on October 18, 2022. Riders will cover five stages before enjoying a rest day on October 23, 2022. From there, the competitors will push through seven more legs, ending the race on October 30, 2022, along the shores of Senegal’s Lac Rose (Lake Retba).
While Tarres pilots his trusty Ténéré 700, this time in World Raid form, he will have to traverse uncharted territory. Understandably, the Seeker star feels trepidatious about taking on such a mighty task, but luckily, he has Dakar Rally legend Jordi Arcarons in his corner.
Arcarons competed in the World’s Toughest Race for 17 years (1988-2003, 2017). Also hailing from Spain, the rally rider finished six rallies on the podium and captured 27 stage wins. With Arcarons’ knowledge and experience at his disposal, Tarres was able to improve upon his weak points before the 2022 AER got underway.
Of course, practice is different from the real thing, and Tarres will have to prove his rallying chops alongside Rebel X Sports Ténéré World Raid teammate and AER-winner Alessandro Botturi. Given the lay of the land, Tarres has his work cut out for him, but we’ve never known the T7 acrobat to back down from a challenge.
