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Anatolia is therefore the link between East and West. This creates a vibrant and diverse culture that combines ancient traditions with modernity. The TransAnatolia Rally Raid represents exactly this by combining the best of Türkiye: its diverse nature, people, history, and culture.
The first day of the TransAnatolia Rally Raid 2025 involved crossing the Uludağ Mountains south of Bursa, which rise to a height of 1,901 metres. Uludağ, also known as a popular fizzy drink, served in Turkish restaurants around the world, perfectly combining local mountain spring water with lemonade, originates from here.
Winding mountain roads with a slightly sandy surface provided an ideal starting point for all categories to get to know the terrain and altitude. Depending on the section of the route, the stage led through dense pine forests and green forest clearings that were dusty and dry. The stage encouraged fast riding, and everyone was happy that it was finally getting underway, but it was impossible to predict what would happen around the next bend, which made the stage dangerous for all participants.
And that is exactly what happened: a Turkish participant died in an accident caused by a technical malfunction. The TransAnatolia Rally Raid management and all its national and international
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