After crossing the Dakar Rally off his bucket list in 2022, Samuel Frémy now wants to add the Africa Eco Race in 2026.

Frémy qualified for the 2022 Dakar Rally via a 42nd in Rally2 at the previous year’s Rallye du Maroc, and had been doing various desert rallies in Morocco and Algeria over the years prior. Racing a KTM 450 Rally, he finished 67th overall for his class with a best outing of 58th in Stage 5.

Despite completing Dakar on his first try, something he and his sponsors hold with pride, Frémy stepped away from long-distance rally raids because of their financial and logistical demands. It didn’t help either that his family was moving back to Reims to focus on business and be closer to their loved ones. He is the head of motorcycle gear retailer Explorcom, while his wife Hélène runs bike equipment company Baroud Moto Loc.

Still, he continued to dabble in shorter rallies like the Hellas Rally Raid and other events in North Africa. Frémy returned to the Rallye du Maroc in 2023 but did not finish.

In February, Explorcom had a booth at Salon du 2 Roues adjacent to the Africa Eco Race’s. Hélène told Journal L’Union she spoke with race organizers at the expo, culminating in her husband preparing his entry for the 2026 event.

To prepare for the AER, Frémy has been undergoing training by competing in local races and riding on forest trails. He also trains alongside pro MMA fighter Anthony Dizy

The 2026 Africa Eco Race runs from January 24 to February 7.

Featured image credit: Vinicius Cabral / FOTOP