TransOrientale

Organizing a Rally across Russia, Kazakhstan and China, René Metge was dreaming about it. It is now a reality who will start on June 12, 2008 in Saint-Pétersburg, to end in Beijing on June 28. Pairing with Gilles Martineau and with the help of IEC In Sports and Sportfive, the former Dakar and Le Mans winner made his mission a success and this exceptional Rally is now for real.

Exceptional, because the competitors will live an unique adventure, the event of a lifetime. The Rally will cross some lands who used to be forbidden, they're now more open to the world. It's the perfect occasion to discover those countries with so many differences, the breathtaking landscapes, and those cultures who will bring you so much.

A dream route...

You will experience the white nights of Saint-Pétersburg, the Ural plains then you will pass by the wonderful Kazakh Steppe, before entering the People's Republic of China by the Xinjiang Region, and you will arrive in Beijing a few weeks before the Olympic Games.

René Metge has always been very attached to some fondamental values and principles : this is a human adventure where discovering and sharing must prevail. The Organisation shares these values and wants to provide an extraordinary adventure to the competitors.

You will be lucky to experience the wild bivouacs, the diversified route for all the pilots, and several categories of vehicles, off-road (or not), Grand Tourer, Trails...will allow anyone to participate.

You love the real and harsh competition, performance, speed, going beyond your limits. This category is for you. The real and genuine Rally-Raid, the original one. Tradition, competition, adventure(s), piloting and navigation are united in the main category.

Open to all cars, vans, motorbikes and quads, in function with the necessary current requirements laid down for most all-terrain rallies and set under the aegis of the FIA and the FIM. Vehicles that correspond to the US requirements will also be accepted.

A real innovation in the world of all-terrain rallies.

The category "Relay" allows the sharing of one vehicle between several people:

3 drivers allowed for one motorbike

Up to 4 people for one car

The entire team needs to be declared at the administration checks and needs to fulfil the same administrative requirements as individual entries, notably the FIA or FIM 2008 licence, driving license,...

The relay must take place in complete legs and cannot, under any circumstances, be split between legs. The Directing Committee must be informed of the crew names before the departure of each leg, so as to avoid elimination from the race. The category "Relay" also allows people who would not normally be able to be absent for the entire duration of the rally to alternate at the halfway stage during the rest day.

One "joker" driver per vehicle, for both cars and motorbikes, can also be named in the case of a physical or emotional failure of the nominated driver, thus allowing the vehicle to still make it to the finish of the "Relay" rankings.

A special "Relay" ranking will be given, in conjunction with the "scratch" ranking relevant - either Raid Marathon or Regular Raid - respecting the groups and sub-groups for each category.

The best rally-raid competitors from around the world will meet up in St. Petesburg for an extraordinary off-road competition that will see the caravan of cars, motorcycles and lorries battle the elements just until the finish line in Beijing.

DAY 1

Highlights of Transorientale Day 1 with Special Stage 1 in Luga (71km long). Win for Ullevalseter (bike), Monterde (car) and Gerard De Rooy (truck). Accident for Eric Vigouroux.

DAY 2

Highlights of Day 2 in Russia. Leg between Rogatchevo and Petravsky (736km) and special stage between Zolino and Nijni (92.5km).

DAY 3

Highlights of Day 3. The leg is between Petrovsky and Yelabouga (574km) and the special stage between Kazan and Mamadysh (152km).

DAY 4

The motorcycles ran the full length of the scheduled special stage but the cars and trucks did not! Jaraslov Katrinak pulled away from Ullevalseter. Maris Saukans took the stage win, a first for a competitor from Latvia ahead of François Delecour. The Kamaz trucks dominated the day in their class.

DAY 5

It was farewell to Russia with a 294km special stage featuring a mix of dust and mud. Russia's Aleixey Kolomystyn won in the bike class, the Gibon brothers, Nicolas and Antoine won the car division with their Toyota powered Bowler, while Hans Stacey took top honours in the truck category, and moved into the overall lead. Once the special stage was concluded, the Transorientale crossed into neighbouring Kazakhstan.

DAY 6

A sad day for the Transorientale, which paid tribute to Xu Lang and Philippe Tonin (run into by Chagin), both were killed as the days racing was the first part of a marathon stage. Jaraslov Katrinak and Jose Luis Monterde lengthened their respective leads in the overall standings, while Gerard De Rooy moved atop the standings in the truck category. Today's 7th stage has been cancelled and the caravan will travel as one to Astana.

DAY 7

The stage has been canceled, following the various accidents that happened since Monday... All the competitors went slowly to Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan.

DAY 8

All the best pictures of Day 8 with the longest special stage of the competition. At the end of the day, the official Kamaz Team decided to withdraw from the Transorientale.

DAY 9

Last stage in Kazakhstan and before leaving the country, a final stage is awaiting competitors. Very short with magic landscapes. First part of the stage is among prairies with gravels and sand. Fords are made for crossing but be very careful; they are steep and uneasy to cross. Competitors will now face winding tracks among little mountains cut by fords. A must for driving experience and for your eyes when racing on the slopes of Mount Altaï. It's kind of magic!

DAY 10

Highlights of Day 10 in China with interviews with François Delecour and Hans Stacey.

DAY 12

Highlights of Day 12 with problems for François Delecour and Hans Stacey as they are stuck in the sand. Accident also for Pascal De Baar.

DAY 13

The day's big news was the retirement of Gerard De Rooy. Hans Stacey is the new leader in the truck class. The stage was the best to date with massive dunes that were not to the liking of one Francois Delecour, 4th on the stage won by Eric Vigouroux. In the motorcycle class, Katrinak and Ullevalseter continued their dominance.

DAY 14

It was more of the same extraordinary scenery in this stage traversing the Badain Jaran desert. In the bike class, Ullevalseter couldn't rid himself of leader Katrinak. In the car category, Delecour finally figured out how to scale the dunes and moved up to third overall in putting in a fast time behind overall leader MonterdeBeijing is nearing.

DAY 15

Highlights of Day 15 where competitors had to go in the Badain Jaran desert - absolutely gorgeous !

It was impossible for the trucks to finish inside the time limit and the big loser of the day is François Delecour, with a broken transmission...

DAY 16

The final stage of Transorientale 2008

STORY ENDING

Despite a threatening sky, the competitors have arrived at the final stage, alongside the very symbolical Great Wall of China, 150 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Everyone wanted a souvenir from the place, and most of the competitors made some pictures of this non-restored but impressive wall, after a very demanding 13,000 kilometers race. Tonight it will be awards time and Jaroslav Katrinak (bikes), Jose Luis Monterde (cars) and Hans Stacey (trucks) will be rewarded.