Matthieu Jauffraud aiming for 2026 Dakar Rally after injury, rejection

Just like last year, Matthieu Jauffraud did not receive the news he hoped from the Amaury Sport Organisation when they informed him his 2025 Dakar Rally application has been turned down. Naturally, this means his attention will now be on the 2026 race.

Unlike his 2024 rejection which was due to insufficient desert rally experience, this instance was mainly due to bad circumstance. While competing in the 2023 Rallye du Maroc to build up his portfolio, Jauffraud launched off a dune too far ninety-six kilometres into Stage #2 and the landing caused him to rupture his Achilles and fracture a tibia.

The injury prevented him from riding for eight months and threw a wrench into his 2024 plans. He had hoped to run the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in February, which along with the Rallye du Maroc is part of the World Rally-Raid Championship and the Road to Dakar; the latter awards free Dakar Rally registration to the best rider who has never raced it before. Instead, he only got back on his bike in May and his gamble to sign up for Dakar shortly after failed.

With the 2025 Dakar out of reach, he will restart his programme by entering the 2024 Rallye du Maroc on 6–11 October as well as the 2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on 21–27 February. Although rejected, he theoretically can still qualify for the 2025 Dakar Rally if he wins the Road to Dakar in Morocco or at least performs well enough to change the ASO’s minds.

“Due to my severe injury at the 2023 Rallye due Maroc, and despite working tirelessly for eight months to get back on the bike, my application to participate in the 2025 Dakar Rally was not accepted,” wrote Jauffraud on Saturday. “Thus, I am revising my schedule to include the 2024 Rally du Maroc in October and the 2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in February to resubmit my application next year. I will have to wait until 2026 to start this legendary race, the Dakar Rally.”

A physiotherapist who does motocross and sand racing, Jauffraud began competing in rallies in 2023. He finished forty-eighth overall and twenty-first in the M3 category in his maiden rally at that year’s Hellas Rally Raid in Greece.