Dakar Dakar Jabal el Lawz – the Mountain of sponsorship deal with companies. ideas, his plan quickly became hero Stéphane Peterhansel Almonds – peaking at more than With day stages sometimes a reality in the 70s and today taking his total number of 2,500 metres above sea level. For topping 900 kilometres, the overall the unique event, sparked by the Dakar victories to nine (six Dakar competitors, however, this distance is 9,000 kilometres in spirit of adventure, is still open to on a motorbike). vast mountain region that extends 10 stages. Dakar director David all riders. It carries a message of Finn Ari Vatanen holds the Enduring challenge all the way to Ha’il Region will Castera described the relocation friendship between mankind and record of four titles on four As the famous Dakar Rally rolls into Saudi Arabia and the Middle East for the first time in history, be more of a maze, zigzagging to Saudi Arabia in a five-year deal it has never failed to challenge, wheels, after winning the 1991 competitors prepare themselves for 9,000 kilometres of mountains, deserts and “infinite possibilities” through the valleys. as “a voyage into the unknown”. surprise and excite. It has edition and Jutta Kleinschmidt In the far south, almost “By going to Saudi Arabia, generated innumerable sporting became the first woman to win a quarter of the country remains it is of course that aspect that and human stories over the last the overall event in 2001. he Dakar adventure began the Place du Trocadéro, in the city’s Al-Balad historic district Saudi Arabia stretches over more uninhabited but for a handful of fascinates me,” Castera said. four decades. It’s remarkable to think that in 1977, when Frenchman 16th arrondissement of Paris, dates to the 7th century and still than two million square kilometres villages and oases. Even expert “I’m convinced that such a The route has been barely 18 months since women TThierry Sabine got lost on for a 10,000-kilometre journey. boasts traditional homes made – approximately four times the dune surfers will be put to the feeling will be shared by all the constantly tinkered with, and were granted the right to drive his motorbike in Libya’s Tenere Among the 74 trail-blazers who from coral. surface area of France. The sword, with dunes more than 250 riders, drivers and co-pilots. in 1992 it crossed the whole in Saudi Arabia, some of the Desert during the Abidjan-Nice made it to the Senegalese capital, The race will rest in Riyadh, largest country in the Middle East, metres high, while lesser drivers “As the director of the event, African continent from north to world’s best female drivers will Rally. When rescuers found him, Cyril Neveu, at the handlebars the capital, and it will finish in Al whose population is concentrated and riders are in for a tough ride. it’s a massive challenge to be southernmost tip. The Paris-Cape be fighting it out for the title. he was not in a good way. But of a Yamaha 500 XT, went down Qiddiya where an entertainment, in the towns and cities close Entry for motorbikes and faced with a blank page with Rally comprised 22 stages and The race has often clashed it did not quell his love for the in history as the winner of the sports and cultural destination is to the sea, boasts a mosaic of quads starts from €14,800, with limitless possibilities.” passed through 10 countries on with politics, with various protests landscape, and he promised to inaugural race. being built in the framework of the landscapes that will put Dakar cars from €25,100 and trucks Founder Thierry Sabine a route stretching 12,427 km. creating hurdles along the way. In share his fascination with as many Saudi Arabia with become Saudi ‘Vision 2030’, which aims competitors through their paces from €37,400. Though the race coined a motto for his inspiration: In 1995, it started in Granada; 1988, the leader’s Peugeot 405 people as possible. The Paris- the 30th country to host the to diversify the income resources on all fronts: driving and riding, does offer some prize money ‘A challenge for those who go. in 2000, it finished at the foot Turbo 16 was stolen in Mali and Dakar Rally was born. Dakar Rally, when the 2020 of the country. The Dakar will be navigation and endurance. (US$50,000 for the motorbike), A dream for those who stay of the Gizeh Pyramids, where in 1983, the interminable Tenere Sabine plotted a route that festival opens in the Middle East the first world-class sporting event A wide range of landscapes the bigger incentive for the behind.’ Courtesy of his great the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt Desert sandstorm claimed 40 started in Paris and travelled for the first time on 1 January. held in Al Qiddiya, a city whose will colour the rally, including hundreds of competitors is conviction and that modicum of lie. Lisbon hosted the 2007 abandonments due to the loss of through Europe to Algeria, Over the following 17 days, the foundation stone was laid in canyons, dunes, mountains, a chance for a lucrative madness peculiar to all great departure, with all-terrain action bearings. Some of those that ➤ crossing Agadez in the Central 42nd edition will start in Jeddah 2018. The vast complex, located wadis and more. Close to the African nation of Niger and ended (5 January), paying respect to about 40 kilometres from Riyadh, border with Jordan, mountain in Dakar, the capital of Senegal on the country’s deep historical will include attractions such as climbers can crown the famous the West coast of the continent. roots. Today, Jeddah is a modern a theme and amusement park, The first ever start line took commercial hub and gateway for world-class sports facilities and Below: The Dakar Rally is no shape on 26 December 1978, pilgrimages to the Islamic holy multidisciplinary art centres. It is stranger to sand – but never with 182 vehicles turning up in cities Mecca and Medina, but the set to open to the public in 2022. before in the Middle East deserts Above: Scott has won a series of tournaments and obtained the World No.1 slot last year Below: Balancing family life with his career will be a new challenge for Scott 24 Upward Curve October-December 2019 October-December 2019 Upward Curve 25 Dakar kept going had to spend four days getting on the course. In 1982, Mark Thatcher, son of the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, along with his French co-driver Anne-Charlotte Verney and their mechanic, disappeared for six days. The trio became separated from a convoy of vehicles after they stopped to make repairs to a faulty steering arm. They were declared missing on 12 January; after a large-scale search, a Lockheed L100 search plane from the Algerian military spotted their white Peugeot 504 some 50 kilometres off course. Thatcher, Verney, and the mechanic were all unharmed. They were lucky. More than 70 people, Top: South America’s beautiful including 28 competitors have paid desert Above: Off-road skills for their passion for the desert with are tested Above left: Peril is their lives. always around the corner Left: Tragically, Sabine became Bikes in South America Below: one of them when, at the age of Saudi Arabian Prince Abdulaziz 37, his helicopter crashed into a bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud with dune during a sudden sandstorm Dakar Rally CEO Jan Lamoner in Mali during the 1986 race. His ashes were spread at the Lost Tree in Niger, now known as the Arbre Thierry Sabine. The race was received from the French precaution. South America hosted went ahead that year, and it has Ministry for Foreign affairs not the event for 11 years from 2009, done every year since 1977, with to go to Mauritania, and the rally with Lima, Buenos Aires, Valparaiso the exception of 2008. After the was cancelled. Terrorist acts and La Paz all marking start and murder of four French citizens identified by the French authorities finish points and the race crossing and three Mauritanian soldiers in threatened the rally directly. Three the Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia’s Salt the days leading up to the 30th weeks later, a terror attack in the Flats) in 2015. edition, a strong recommendation heart of Nouakchott vindicated the dakar.com ■ October-December 2019 Upward Curve 27.