Tarek El Erian, from Pyramids to Dakar

Sometimes dreams come true and the dream of Tarek El Erian, winner of the Dakar Challenge at the 2012 Pharaons Rally, is a dream that the young Egyptian kept in his secret drawer. The 24 years old driver of the Team Rahhala Racing has just confirmed that he’ll be at the Start of the 2013 Dakar, the fabulous prize that ASO has reserved for the fastest “amateur” of the Pharaons Rally.

This is an event with an “historical” flavor: Tarek will in fact be the first Egyptian racer to take part at the Dakar and he’ll start his preparation right now while he’s looking for an adequate vehicle in order to be on the podium at the Start in Lima next January 5th.

El Erian has jumped on top of the Challenge classification at the end of the fifth leg, when the Italian-Romanian team Casuneanu/Zani has been compelled to leave after their car rolled. At that stage the young Egyptian was only missing the last leg, before he could finally drop off his tension built up under the shadow of the Pyramids of Giza. Thanks to his 9th absolute position at the Pharaons Rally, Tarek has thus taken into his hands the classification of the Dakar Challenge and he has now started his countdown for his dream that becomes real. Objective: reach Santiago in Chile on 2013, January 20th.

Final Classification of the Dakar Challenge at Pharaons Rally

1) El Erian Tarek/Mohamed Aly (EGY) Batmobile Buggy Cotel
2) Cinotto Michele/Zini Fulvio (ITA) Buggy Dessoude Juke
3) Moustafa Adham Ibrahim/Abd El Azim Sherif (EGY) Dodge Ram 1500
4) Omar Hani/Al Sharif Akram (EGY) Racing Fortuner Buggy Cotel
5) Cinotto Pietro/Michi Daniele (ITA) Nissan Pathfinder
6) Belotti Cristian/Nicoli Oscar (ITA) Nissan Patrol

The winners of the 2013 Dakar Challenge

Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race: Evan Hutchison (Afs), car
Desafio Litoral: Roberto Recalde (Par), car / Jeremias Israel (Chl), bike / Francisco Bartucci (Arg), quad
Taklimakan Rally: Zhou Tian (Chn), bike
Australasian Safari: Brett Cummings (Afs), bike
Pharaons Rally: Tarek El Erian (Egy), car

A volte i sogni si avverano e quello di Tarek El Erian, vincitore del Dakar Challenge al Pharaons Rally 2012, è un sogno che il giovane egiziano teneva nel cassetto più segreto. Il ventiquattrenne pilota del Team Rahhala Racing ha appena confermato che sarà al via alla Dakar 2013, il fantastico premio che ASO ha riservato al più veloce “amatore” al Pharaons Rally. Ed è un evento dal sapore storico: Tarek sarà infatti il primo pilota egiziano a prendere parte alla Dakar e inizierà fin da subito la preparazione e la ricerca di un veicolo più performante per presentarsi sul podio di partenza, a Lima il 5 gennaio prossimo.

El Erian è balzato in testa alla classifica del Challenge al termine della quinta tappa, quando l’equipaggio italo rumeno Casuneanu/Zani è stato costretto al ritiro in seguito a un cappottamento. A quel punto al giovane egiziano mancava solo l’ultima tappa, prima di poter finalmente scaricare la tensione accumulata all’ombra delle Piramidi di Giza. Grazie al nono posto assoluto al Pharaons Rally, Tarek ha così fatto sua la classifica del Dakar Challenge ed ora è partito il conto alla rovescia per un sogno che è divenuto realtà. Obiettivo: raggiungere Santiago del Cile il 20 gennaio 2013.

Classifica finale Dakar Challenge Pharaons Rally

1) El Erian Tarek/Mohamed Aly (EGY) Batmobile Buggy Cotel
2) Cinotto Michele/Zini Fulvio (ITA) Buggy Dessoude Juke
3) Moustafa Adham Ibrahim/Abd El Azim Sherif (EGY) Dodge Ram 1500
4) Omar Hani/Al Sharif Akram (EGY) Racing Fortuner Buggy Cotel
5) Cinotto Pietro/Michi Daniele (ITA) Nissan Pathfinder
6) Belotti Cristian/Nicoli Oscar (ITA) Nissan Patrol

I vincitori del Dakar Challenge 2013

Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race: Evan Hutchison (Afs), auto
Desafio Litoral: Roberto Recalde (Par), auto / Jeremias Israel (Chl), moto / Francisco Bartucci (Arg), quad
Taklimakan Rally: Zhou Tian (Chn), moto
Australasian Safari: Brett Cummings (Afs), moto
Rallye des Pharaons: Tarek El Erian (Egy), auto

Parfois les rêves se réalisent. Celui de Tarek El Erian, vainqueur du Challenge Dakar au Rallye des Pharaons 2012, est un rêve que le jeune égyptien tenait bien caché, dans son tiroir secret.
A 24 ans, le pilote du Team Rahhala Racing s’est vu confirmé qu’il serait au départ du Dakar 2013 grâce au fantastique cadeau offert par ASO à l’amateur le plus rapide du Rallye des Pharaons.
Cet évènement a un parfum historique : Tarek sera en effet le premier pilote égyptien à participer au Dakar. Tout à sa joie, il s’est déjà lancé immédiatement dans la préparation du projet tout comme dans la recherche d’un véhicule plus performant pour se présenter sur le podium de départ, à Lima, le 5 janvier prochain.
El Erian est passé en tête du classement du Challenge, au terme de la cinquième étape, quand l’équipage italo-roumain Casuneanu/Zani fut contraint à l’abandon après être parti en tonneaux.
Il ne manquait donc plus, pour le jeune Égyptien, qu’à terminer la dernière étape avant de se décharger de la tension accumulée à l’ombre des Pyramides de Gizeh. Grâce à sa 9e place au classement général du Rallye des Pharaons, Tarek a remporté le classement du Dakar Challenge.
Le compte à rebours a commencé pour un rêve qui est devenu réalité. Objectif : rallier Santiago du Chili le 20 janvier 2013.

Classement final Dakar Challenge Pharaons Rally

1) El Erian Tarek/Mohamed Aly (EGY) Batmobile Buggy Cotel
2) Cinotto Michele/Zini Fulvio (ITA) Buggy Dessoude Juke
3) Moustafa Adham Ibrahim/Abd El Azim Sherif (EGY) Dodge Ram 1500
4) Omar Hani/Al Sharif Akram (EGY) Racing Fortuner Buggy Cotel
5) Cinotto Pietro/Michi Daniele (ITA) Nissan Pathfinder
6) Belotti Cristian/Nicoli Oscar (ITA) Nissan Patrol

Les vainqueurs du Dakar Challenge 2013

Toyota Kalahari Botswana 1000 Desert Race: Evan Hutchison (Afs), auto
Desafio Litoral: Roberto Recalde (Par), auto / Jeremias Israel (Chl), moto / Francisco Bartucci (Arg), quad
Taklimakan Rally: Zhou Tian (Chn), moto
Australasian Safari: Brett Cummings (Afs), moto
Rallye des Pharaons: Tarek El Erian (Egy), auto