Fantic successfully brought nine XEF 450 Rally bikes to the finish line at the Rallye du Maroc. Sandra Gomez battled through illness to secure the top spot in the women’s category, while Jeremy Miroir wrapped up the week with an impressive performance. There is also positive news regarding Tommaso Montanari, who was forced to retire after a crash.
An intense week in Morocco came to a successful close with an impressive performance by Jeremy Miroir, who finished the fifth stage in an amazing 11th place overall and 7th in the Rally2 category. In the final standings of the Rallye du Maroc, the Frenchman secured 19th place (11th Rally2).
With scorching temperatures and five challenging stages made even tougher by recent rains, the 2024 edition of the Rallye du Maroc proved to be an excellent testing ground for the Fantic Factory Rally Team. This marked the Italian squad’s first official appearance with its new lineup, completed by Sandra Gomez. Making her debut on the Fantic XEF 450 Rally, the Spanish rider immediately showcased promising speed and consistency. She improved her feeling with the bike and contributed to the strong team effort day after day, breaking into the top 30 overall during the fourth stage. However, her performance on the final day was affected by illness. Despite feeling unwell, Sandra showed remarkable determination and grit, ultimately finishing the rally in 35th place overall, 27th in the Rally2 class, and, most notably, first among the women.
Also noteworthy is the significant effort by the Italian brand in its new Fantic Rally Raid project, with seven Fantic XEF 450 Rally bikes successfully reaching the finish line after over 2000 km, including 1436 km of timed special stages. Among the Fantic-supported riders, standout performances came from Chilean Tomas de Gavardo, who finished 30th overall (22nd in Rally2), and Italo-Argentine Carla Scaglioni, who claimed second place in the women’s category in her debut rally.
While having nine bikes complete the Rallye du Maroc was a major success, it was an unfortunate setback for the Fantic Factory Rally Team that official rider Tommaso Montanari was forced to withdraw after a crash during the second stage. He sustained a bruise to his hip and was taken to the hospital in Casablanca. Fortunately, medical checks didn’t reveal any fractures. He is expected to return to Italy in the coming days.
Buoyed by the experience gained in Morocco, the Fantic Factory Rally Team is already looking forward to the next challenge: the legendary Dakar, scheduled from January 3 to 17, 2025, in Saudi Arabia.
Jeremy Miroir:
“I am super happy with what we achieved together with the Fantic team during this Rallye du Maroc. The feeling got better and better day after day, so I am satisfied. We will continue to work hard with the team to be ready for the Dakar. Thank you all!”
Sandra Gomez:
“I had already done the Rallye du Maroc twice, but this time was definitely a different experience with a new bike and such a big team behind me. They were amazing and helped me a lot. We were testing different parts, and I was improving day by day – both in the classification and in my confidence on the Fantic. It was a good week to prepare for the Dakar. Today, though, was really tough. My stomach was in bad shape, but I still decided to race, even though I had to stop twice. I met a Spanish rider who I could follow, and he helped me along the way. Then, about 10 km from the finish, I crashed and had no energy left. Some other competitors helped me get my bike back up. They encouraged me to keep going, and I don’t know how, but I made it to the finish line. I wanted to do it for myself and the team because we had such a good week. I think we all deserved the win in the women’s category, and that was my motivation today.”
Tommaso Montanari:
“I am disappointed that it ended this way, both for me and for the entire Fantic team. We prepare all year for these rallies, and it is frustrating when things don’t go to plan. I had found my rhythm, wasn’t pushing too hard, but in these races, it is also easy to make mistakes. Unfortunately, it is part of the game. Every experience helps you grow, it is all part of the journey. Now I will head back home, recover, and get ready for the Dakar.”
Matilde Tomagnini, Fantic Rally Raid Project Manager:
“The result is excellent. Jeremy performed very well, Tomas was also great – and our Sandra Gomez is incredibly fast. Unfortunately, she caught a stomach bug and I believe she only slept for about an hour last night, but she still wanted to get back on the bike – and in the end, she managed to finish the race. It was an impressive display of strength; she is a really tough woman. Tommaso’s crash was a pity, but apart from that, we got the remaining nine bikes to the finish line. This is a great sign for Fantic, we worked well and achieved our goal. We are very satisfied. The team worked well together, and we delivered the result in our first experience with the new Fantic Rally Raid project. A big thank you to all the sponsors and especially to all the guys who contributed to this project, even from home.”
Franco Picco, Fantic Rally Team Manager:
“Unfortunately, Tommaso crashed early on the second day. Fortunately, the injury doesn’t seem too serious, and he should be ready for the Dakar. We continued with nine riders, all of whom finished the rally. There were also some excellent stage results, like Jeremy’s performance on the final day. We are also proud to have secured first and second place in the women’s category with Sandra Gomez and Carla Scaglioni. For Fantic, this was our first experience providing support to riders through the new Fantic Rally Raid program, with participants from Spain, Argentina, Chile, and Japan – three different continents – all riding our bikes, and all reaching the finish line. This is a positive sign for the Dakar as well.”
