TransAnatolia 2021 has finished in Kars

TransAnatolia Rally Raid 2021, which was postponed to September due to the forest fires in August, took place between September 11-18, 2021, with the participation of important names from the automobile and motor sports world in Italy, Holland and UK as well as Turkey.
This year, 40 motorcycles, 19 automobiles, 4 SSVs, 5 Quads and 3 trucks were competing making up a total of 70 vehicles and 96 racers.
The rally took 2.345 km, passing Anatolia horizontally through 14 different cities from Eskisehir to Kars.
On the first day of the race, the administrative and technical checks of the racers were completed on the 11th of September, Saturday at Eskişehir Atatürk Football Stadium. After the controls, the teams gathered at Odunpazarı, the historical town of Eskişehir, to start the 11th TransAnatolia rally. Following the ceremonial start, the racers run 8,5 km long ETİ Prologue Stage to determine the starting sequence for the next day.
On the second day, the racers took start early in the morning for a total of 281 km special stages of Eskişehir, Nallıhan, Kızılcahamam covering a total distance of 357 km. At the end of the first day of the difficult race, the racers arrived at the Sorgun Lake bivouac area.
The second day of TransAnatolia started quite fast, and during the race there was a remarkable struggle, especially among Italian motorcyclists. While the most successful Turkish driver was Ejder Erişti, Süleyman Aydın, who participated in TransAnatolia for the first time, signaled from day one that he would be a formidable opponent. Anlas pilot Serkan Özdemir started the day fast and finished ninth. Murat Yazıcı, a Ducati pilot, opted to start the TransAnatolia cautiously.
Misfortune adlapped on the first day of the race
Flippo Colombo (IT), who joined TransAnatolia with Yamaha XT500 motorcycle, suffered an unfortunate accident in the final stage of the race, breaking his ankle and saying goodbye to the race too early. Michele Cotti (IT), who joined the race with KTM 500 EXC-F, had a difficult time in the last 5 km of the first stage due to running out of fuel. Ertan Nacaroğlu & Eray Yanpar (TR), who competed with SSV class, continued despite the loss of time by correcting their side-tilted vehicles with their own means. Adnan Ofluoğlu & Suat Çelik (TR), who competed in the automobile category with Mercedes ML55 AMG, encountered mechanical problems. Andrea Rossi (IT), who raced with Ducati Multistrada V4 in the motorcycle category, also fell and hurt his shoulder as he approached the end of the stage; however, he managed to finish the day in sixth place.
The rankings of the racers with differences of merely seconds between them indicated that we would witness a fierce competition until the finish.
September 12, 2021, Rankings:
Motorcycle category (general):
1- Alberto Bertoldi (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 05:20:01
2- Michele Cotti (IT) racing with KTM 500 EXC-F – 05:20:06
3- Cesare Zacchetti (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 05:21:12

Automobile category (general):
1- Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 05:17:03
2- Mert Becce & Sertaç Tatar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 05:24:53
3- Murat Kamil Altun & Tuvana Sayar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 05:35:23
Truck class :
1- Murat Karahan & Mehmet Fürkan Saylam (TR) racing with Mercedes Unimog – 12:24:36
2- Ramazan Yılmaz & Onur Sırımoğlu (TR) racing with Mercedes Unimog – 12:25:00
3- Marino Mutti (IT) & Mert Özgün (TR) racing with Mercedes Unimog – 12:45:22

TransAnatolia’s 3rd Day Has Been the Longest Day of the Race
The third day of the race began on Monday morning (September 13th) with a start from Sorgun Pond. On the day that the racers passed the longest stage of the race with 493 km, passing through Çerkeş, Kurşunlu and İstiklal Road special stages totaling 301 and ended the day in Çorum. The racers, who passed the previous day quite fast, proceeded at a more cautious and lower pace due to the heavy rainfall that started on the İstiklal Road stage.
As the Italians continued to struggle for the top spot in the motorcycle category, Anlas athlete Serkan Özdemir became the standout among the Turkish pilots and finished the day in 5th place. At night, the racers rested at a hotel in Çorum.
September 13, 2021, Rankings:
Motorcycle category (general):
1- Cesare Zacchetti (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 05:34:31
2- Alberto Bertoldi (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 05:43:49
3- Nicola Quinto (IT) racing with Beta 430 – 05:52:32

Automobile category (general):
1- Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 05:39:12
2- Mert Becce & Sertaç Tatar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 05:49:19
3- Murat Kamil Altun & Tuvana Sayar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 06:52:00

Truck class :
1- Murat Karahan & Mehmet Fürkan Saylam (TR) racing with Mercedes Unimog – 07:34:51
2- Ramazan Yılmaz & Onur Sırımoğlu (TR) racing with Mercedes Unimog – 12:57:20
3- Marino Mutti (IT) & Mert Özgün (TR) racing with Mercedes Unimog

On Day 4 of TransAnatolia, Racers Raced from Çorum to the Mt.Yıldız
The Çorum special stage of the race was cancelled due to high risk of water transitions because of heavy rainfall the previous day. The racers passed 174 km at Hittites and Mt.Yıldız special stages. At the end of a 272 km race, the racers completed a total of 1.122 kilometers from the 2.345 kilometers long track of TransAnatolia 2021.
Murat Karahan and Mehmet Fürkan Saylam, who raced with Mercedes Unimog in the truck class, flipped over in the final stage of the race. Burak Kızıleniş, who competed with KTM 690 Enduro R, fell, and hurt his ankle and failed to complete the stage. The racers overnighted in bivouac at the Mount Yıldız ski facility.

September 14, 2021, Rankings:
Motorcycle category (general):
1- Alberto Bertoldi (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 03:12:40
2- Serkan Özdemir (TR) racing with KTM 890 Adventure R – 03:18:34
3- Cesare Zacchetti (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 03:19:06

In the motorcycle category, Turkish racers stepped on the gas, and made up 4 of the first 7 racers.

Automobile category (general):
It was a surprising day in the automobile category
1- Ertan Nacaroğlu & Eray Yanpar (TR) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 03:16:52
2- Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 03:23:58
3- Mert Becce & Sertaç Tatar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 03:30:24

On Day 5 of TransAnatolia, Racers Reach Refahiye from Mt.Yıldız
The fifth day of the race began on Wednesday morning (September 15th) from Mt.Yıldız. On the route consisting of 258 km of special stages, the racers passed the Dipsiz Lake, Kösedağı and Kızıldağ special stages respectively, and ended the day at the Refahiye Dumanlı Natural Park bivouac with a total of 297 km of driving.
September 15, 2021, Rankings:
Motorcycle category (general):
1- Alberto Bertoldi (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 04:46:59
2- Cesare Zacchetti (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 04:48:49
3- Serkan Özdemir (TR) racing with KTM 890 Adventure R – 04:59:31

On the fourth day of the race with the highest special stage ratio, Erhan Bulluk, who raced with KTM 500 EXC-F crashed and was excluded from the race.

Automobile category (general):
1- Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 04:53:37
2- Mert Becce & Sertaç Tatar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 05:18:04
3- İlyas Sönmez & Dağdan Bereket (TR) racing with Mitsubishi L 200 – 05:29:32

On The 6th Day of TransAnatolia, Racers Reach Palandöken from Refahiye

The fifth day of the race kicked off from the Refahiye Dumanli Natural Park on Thursday morning (September 16th). The racers passed the Yassıçemen, Otlukbeli and Karasu special stages of 196 km and ended the day in Erzurum Palandöken with a total of 297 km of driving.
Ending the day at Erzurum ski facility, the racers overnighted 6th night at a hotel.
September 16, 2021, Rankings:
Motorcycle category (general):
1- Cesare Zacchetti (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 03:36:30
2- Andrea Rossi (IT) racing with Ducati Multistrada V4 – 03:42:26
3- Alberto Bertoldi (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 03:42:35

The most successful Turkish riders of the day were Ejder Erişti and Süleyman Aydın.

Automobile category (general):
1- S.Barbaros Yangın & Ali Osman Kutanoğlu (TR) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 03:32:22
2- Murat Kamil Altun & Tuvana Sayar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 03:32:49
3- Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 03:35:32

On The 7th Day of TransAnatolia, Racers Reached Sarıkamış from Palandöken
The seventh day of the TransAnatolia Rally Raid from Eskisehir to Kars started from Erzurum Palandöken on Friday morning (September 17th). The racers passed the Narman stage, due to the heavy rain stage Topyolu has been cancelled, stage Sarıkamış has been completed without bikes. The racers ended the day at Sarıkamış in hotel daily totaling 300 km driving. In the first special stage Narman, the rankings were determined by seconds. The racers ended the day at Sarıkamış in hotel.

September 17, 2021, Rankings:
Motorcycle category (general):
1- Michele Cotti (IT) racing with KTM 500 EXC-F – 01:10:43
2- Nicola Quinto (IT) racing with Beta 430 – 01:10:49
3- Alberto Bertoldi (IT) racing with KTM 450 – 01:10:58

Turkish biker Süleyman Aydın was fifth, Mesut Doğan sixth, Serkan Özdemir seventh and Ejder Erişti eighth.

Automobile category (general):
1- Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 02:40:41
2- Murat Kamil Altun & Tuvana Sayar (Becce Motorsports Team) (TR) racing with Suzuki Grand Vitara – 02:49:49
3- S.Barbaros Yangın & Ali Osman Kutanoğlu (TR) racing with CAN-AM Maverick X3 in SSV class – 02:50:30

The TransAnatolia Rally Raid adventure from Eskisehir to Kars between 11-18 September 2021 ended with an award ceremony at Kars Castle on Saturday (September 18th). The eighth and final day of the race started at 10:00 from Sarıkamış. The only special stage of the day passed through Mount Allahüekber covering 113 km ending the day total of 189 km.

While the race in the motorcycle category was quite exciting, every day of the race was the scene of new rankings. Turkish motorcycle racers competed in a great competition, especially with Italian pilots. There was also great competition in the car category until the last moment, and the winners were only announced in the final stage.

TransAnatolia 2021 Rankings:

Motorcycle category (general)
1. Alberto Bertoldi (IT)
2. Cesare Zacchetti (IT)
3. Michele Cotti (IT)
Quad class:
1. Kadir Dağlı (TR)
2. Mustafa Dağlı (TR)
3. Rasim Akyalı (TR)

Automobile category (general):
1. Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT)
2. Murat Kamil Altun & Tuvana Sayar (TR)
3. Ahmet Tınkır & Ali Günpay (TR)

Automobile class:
1. Murat Kamil Altun & Tuvana Sayar (TR)
2. Ahmet Tınkır & Ali Günpay (TR)
3. Yalçın Batuhan Korkut & Fırat Şahin (TR)
SSV class:
1. Federico Butto & Filippo Ippolito (IT)
2. Ertan Nacaroğlu & Eray Yanpar (TR)
3. Barbaros Yangın & Ali Osman Kutanoğlu (TR)

Truck class:
1. Ramazan Yılmaz & Onur Sırımoğlu (TR)
2. Murat Karahan & Mehmet Fürkan Saylam (TR)
3. Marino Mutti (IT) & Mert Özgün (TR)

In its 11th year, TransAnatolia’s sponsors were Korlas (Ducati), Eti, Spor Toto, General Tire, Castrol, Anlas, Izeltas, Fikrimedya, Anafarta and Jules Verne.