After an excellent start to the rally, Tarrés (9h02m09s) and Botturi (9h09m44s) were first and second in the overall general classification, with the former’s lead over the rider in third 12 minutes and nine seconds. A feat made all the more impressive considering they are racing twin-cylinder production-based adventure bikes in the competitive B2 class (451cc-700cc) against 450ccc prototype machines in the B1 category.
Wednesday would prove to be a trickier challenge than they had faced so far, as they swapped the rocky mountain paths for muddy riverbeds and the famous salt lake of Tuz Gölu. The heavy rain of the past few days in the Cappadocia region would also play a part, with the second special stage of the day cancelled after a few checkpoints due to the treacherous conditions which made Lake Tuz unrideable.
The day started with a 61km liaison from the bivouac in Göreme to Bellsirma. Then Tarrés and Botturi had a 28.1km special to conquer before another 71.68km liaison to what would have been the longest stage of the rally. After beginning the physically demanding 166.52km second special of the day, the cancellation notice came through, and the duo headed to the bivouac in Haymana.
With only one timed stage counting, Botturi, competing in his first international rally since the 2022 Africa Eco Race, led the charge after both riders, along with most of the other competitors, made a small navigational error. Recovering superbly, the 49-year-old Italian showed all of his experience to finish Special Stage 7 in second and claim his fourth podium of the rally with a time of 26 minutes and six seconds, just 46 seconds behind the winner.
Tarrés, feeling mentally and physically drained after leading out most of the stages during the rally and still recovering from an injury he sustained to his left leg just one month before the event, showed incredible fortitude. Determined to protect his lead in the general classification, and despite struggling with the change in terrain, the 29-year-old Andorran brought his GYTR-kitted Ténéré 700 World Rally home in third to maintain his 100% podium record and limit the damage to his lead.
His time of 27 minutes and 32 seconds saw him concede only two minutes and 12 seconds to the stage winner, the rider third in the general classification. This meant that Tarrés’ combined time after the fourth day was nine hours, 29 minutes and 41 seconds, which sees him six minutes and nine seconds ahead of his teammate Botturi and nine minutes and 57 seconds ahead of the rider in third.
With just three days left, Thursday will see Tarrés and Botturi return to the Turkish mountains to take on three special stages. First, they will leave the bivouac in Haymana for a 57.57km liaison to the start of the 124.66km ninth stage in Sakarya before a 63.41km liaison to Frigya for the beginning of the 66.60km Special Stage 10. Then they have another 40.29km liaison to the final special of the day, a short but technically demanding 2.5km climb up to the famous Afyon castle, before heading to the nearby bivouac in the surrounding town of Afyonkarahisar.
