A Renault support truck during the 2004 Dakar

Tracks through the desert

The Dakar Rally (or simply "The Dakar"; formerly known as "The Paris Dakar" or "Paris to Dakar Rally" and now as "The Lisboa Dakar") is an annual off-road race, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO is part of the French media group EPA ( Éditions Philippe Amaury) and is well-known as the organiser of various major sporting The race is open to amateur and professional entries. Amateurs typically make up about eighty percent of the participants.

Despite its name it is an off-road endurance race, called a rally-raid rather than a conventional rally—the terrain the competitors traverse is much tougher and the vehicles used are true off-road vehicles rather than the modified sedans used in rallies. Endurance racing is a form of motorsport which is meant to test the durability of equipment and endurance of participants Rally Raid, also known as cross country rallying is a form of long distance Off-road racing that takes place over several days Rallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars Most of the competitive special sections are off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks and erg among others. An erg (also sand sea or dune sea) is a large relatively flat area of Desert covered with Wind -swept Sand with little to no vegetation The distances of each stage covered vary from several kilometers up to 800 to 900 kilometers (500–560 mi) per day. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States

History and route

Countries the rally has been through during its history (orange countries were only travelled through in the 1992 race to Cape Town). Cape Town (Kaapstad Xhosa: Ikapa) is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the

The race originated in 1978, a year after racer Thierry Sabine got lost in the desert and decided that it would be a good location for a regular rally. Thierry Sabine (° 13 June 1949 in Neuilly-sur-Seine - † 14 January 1986 - French wrangler Motorcycle racer - founder and main organizer of Paris A desert is a Landscape or region that receives very little precipitation. Originally, the rally was from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal, interrupted by a transfer across the Mediterranean. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. For the Dakar Rally see Dakar Rally. For the Israeli submarine see INS Dakar. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. However, due to politics and other factors, the course, including origin and destination, has varied over the years. Dakar has been the destination city on all but four occasions. The rally began at Paris each year until 1995. In 1994 the rally both began and ended in Paris, but due to complaints by the mayor, the finish had to be moved from the Champs-Élysées to Euro Disney. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (ʃɑ̃zeliˈze) is the most prestigious avenue in Paris. Disneyland Resort Paris' is a Holiday and Recreation Resort in Marne-la-Vallée, a New town in the eastern suburbs of Paris This also caused the organisation to lay out the rally through different locations in following years.

Complete list of routes

• 1979–1980: Paris–Dakar
• 1981–1988: Paris–Algiers–Dakar
• 1989: Paris–Tunis–Dakar
• 1990–1991: Paris–Tripoli–Dakar
• 1992: Paris–Cape Town
• 1993: Paris–Dakar
• 1994: Paris–Dakar–Paris
• 1995–1996: Granada–Dakar
• 1997: Dakar–Agadez–Dakar
• 1998: Paris–Granada–Dakar
• 1999: Granada–Dakar
• 2000: Dakar–Cairo
• 2001: Paris–Dakar
• 2002: Arras–Madrid–Dakar
• 2003: Marseille–Sharm el-Sheikh
• 2004: Clermont-Ferrand–Dakar
• 2005: Barcelona–Dakar
• 2006: Lisbon–Dakar
• 2007: Lisbon–Dakar
• 2008: cancelled
• 2009: Argentina–Chile–Argentina^[1]

Recent rallies pass through Morocco, Western Sahara and on to the grasslands and deserts of Mauritania. Algiers (الجزائر Algerian Arabic: Dzayer ( (From kabyle pronunciation Kabyle: Ledzayer, Alger) is the Capital and largest Tunis ( Arabic: تونس Tūnis) is the Capital of the Tunisian Republic and also the Tunis Tripolis ( Arabic: طرابلس Ṭarābulus - also طرابلس الغرب Ṭarā-bu-lus al-Gharb Libyan vernacular: Cape Town (Kaapstad Xhosa: Ikapa) is the second most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the metropolitan municipality of the Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous region of Andalusia, Spain. Agadez (also Agades) is the largest city in northern Niger, with a population of 88569 (2005 census Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. Arras (Atrecht is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. Marseille, ( English alt Marseilles mɑrˈseɪ — French: maʁsɛj locally — Provençal Occitan: Marselha maʀˈsijɔ Sharm el Sheikh (شرم الشيخ Sharm al-Shaykh) often known simply as "Sharm" is a city situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in Clermont-Ferrand ( Auvergnat dialect of Occitan: Clarmont-Ferrand / Clarmont d'Auvèrnhe) is a city and commune of France Barcelona ( Catalan bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish baɾθeˈlona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Western Sahara ( Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Gharbīyah; Sahara Occidental is a territory Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country The segments running through Atar and the sand dunes and canyons of Mauritania's Adrar Region may be the most challenging in all off-road racing. Atar (أطار is a town in northwestern Mauritania, the capital of the Adrar Region and the main settlement on the Adrar Plateau. For the province of Algeria see Adrar Province. Adrar (ولاية آدرار is a large region in Mauritania, named for the Off-road racing is a format of racing where various classes of specially modified vehicles (including cars trucks motorcycles and buggies compete in races through Off-road

In 1992, Hubert Auriol won the Dakar in an automobile after having previously won the motorcycle competition on two occasions, making him the first driver to win on both two and four wheels. For other meanings see also the disambiguation page Auriol Hubert Auriol (born in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, June 7 MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. Later on, Stéphane Peterhansel managed to do the same. In 2001, Jutta Kleinschmidt was the first woman to win the Dakar, driving a Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, co-driving with fellow German Andreas Schulz. In 2006, Patsy Quick became the first British woman to complete the Dakar (on a motorcycle). Patsy Quick is an English Off road Motorcycle racer She was the first British woman to compete in the Dakar Rally in 2003 and

The 2008 Dakar Rally was canceled on January 4, 2008 amid fears of terrorist attack(s). The 2008 Dakar Rally would have been the 30th running of the annual off-road race Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common This caused serious doubts over the future of the rally. Various newspapers in Africa called the cancellation a "death sentence" for the race. Chile and Argentina, in South America, offered their territory to host the event, as well as the Czech Republic,^[2] or Hungary^[3] in Central Europe. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and The ASO finally decided to establish the Dakar Series competition, which first event is the 2008 Central Europe Rally (Hungary-Romania), between April 20 and April 26, 2008. The Central Europe Rally is a Rally-raid Endurance race held in Romania and Hungary. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Events 1303 - The University of Rome La Sapienza is instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. Events 1467 - The miraculous image in Our Lady of Good Counsel appear in Genazzano, Italy. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The 2009 event will organized in the two South American countries, between January 3-18, 2009. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Events 350 - Generallus Magnentius deposes Roman Emperor Constans and proclaims himself Emperor This article is about the year For the film see 2009 Lost Memories. ^[1]

Vehicles and classes

The three major competitive groups in the Dakar are the bike class, the car class, which ranges from buggies to small SUVs, and the T4 truck class. MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. A dune buggy is a recreational Vehicle with large Wheels and wide Tires designed for use on sand Dunes or Beaches The design A sport utility vehicle ( SUV) is a generic marketing description for a rugged automotive vehicle similar to a Station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis This article is about the semi-truck For the North American use of the word see Pickup truck. Many vehicle manufacturers exploit the harsh environment the rally offers as a testing ground, and consequently to demonstrate the durability of their vehicles, although most vehicles are heavily modified.

Moto class

The Moto class is divided between three groups. Group 1 is Marathon, which are nearly unmodified production motorcycles, subdivided between engines of greater and less than 451 cc (28 cu in). A cubic centimetre or cubic centimeter (symbol cm3 —the abbreviation cc, though widely used is deprecated is a commonly used unit of Volume A cubic inch (plural cubic inches) is a non- SI unit of Volume, equal to the volume of a Cube with sides of one Inch. ^[4] Group 2 is Super-Production bikes, which are more substantially modified than Marathon bikes, subdivided between engines of greater and less than 451 cc. ^[4] Group 3 for quads, subdivided between engines of greater and less than 500 cc. ^[4]

Popular motorcycles include those made by KTM and Yamaha because many of their bikes have finished in top positions. KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian Motorcycle manufacturer ( a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company (whose HQ is at 2500 Shingai Iwata Shizuoka) is part of the Yamaha Corporation. BMW motorcycles have also been successful in the Dakar. BMW Motorrad, a division of BMW, is a German Motorcycle manufacturer

Car class—T1, T2 and Open

The car class is made up of vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kg (7,716 lb) and subdivided into several categories. The T1 Group is made up of Improved Cross Country Vehicles and the T2 Group is made up of Cross Country Series Production vehicles. ^[5] The Open class accepts weight-qualifying vehicles such as SCORE International trucks. SCORE International is an Off-road sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing and is famous for its flagship event the Baja 1000. ^[5]

Originally, European utility vehicles like the Renault 4, Land Rover, Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz G, Volkswagen Iltis and the Pinzgauer, as well the Japanese Toyota Land Cruiser, dominated the race. The Renault 4, also known as the 4L (pronounced "Quatrelle" which could be heard as "4 wings" in French is a Hatchback Economy car Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV manufacturer based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar Land Rover Range Rover Classic|Range Rover SportThe Range Rover is a Four-wheel drive luxury Sport utility vehicle (SUV produced by Land Rover in the For G-class stars see Stellar classification. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class or G-Wagen, short for Geländewagen (or cross-country vehicle The Volkswagen Type 183, more commonly known as the Iltis (German for the European Polecat) is a military vehicle built by Volkswagen for use by the The Pinzgauer is a family of high mobility all-terrain 4x4 and 6x6 military utility vehicles The Toyota Land Cruiser is a series of Four-wheel drive vehicles produced by the Japanese car maker Toyota Motor Corporation. Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero is the most successful model in race history, including the last 7 years straight. The Mitsubishi Pajero (pəˈhɛroʊ pɑˈxɛroʊ is a Sport utility vehicle manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. Other manufacturers have entered heavily modified street vehicles such as Rolls-Royce, Citroën, Peugeot (405 T16 and 205 T16) and Porsche. Rolls-Royce Motors was created from the demerger of the Rolls-Royce car business from Rolls-Royce Limited in 1973 Citroën (pronounced See-Troh-Enn is a French Automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. For the article about the bicycle manufacturer see Cycles Peugeot. The Peugeot 405 is a Large family car released by the French Automaker Peugeot in July 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under The Peugeot 205 is a supermini produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot between 1983 and 1997 Porsche SE or Porsche ( German, ˈpɔɹʃə is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is majority-owned by the Porsche and Piëch

In 2003 prominent examples in the Car Class included the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero, the Volkswagen Race Touareg, the Bowler Wildcat 200 and the Nissan Navara. The Mitsubishi Pajero (pəˈhɛroʊ pɑˈxɛroʊ is a Sport utility vehicle manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. The Bowler Wildcat is an off-road vehicle originally made by Bowler Offroad, based on the Land Rover Defender. The Nissan Navara is a Pickup truck manufactured by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 1986

Mercedes Benz M, BMW X5 and BMW X3. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class is a Mid-size Sport utility vehicle (SUV with light off-road capability first offered in 1997 as a 1998 model and built by the The BMW X5 is a Mid-size Crossover SUV sold by BMW since 1999 The BMW X3 is a compact Crossover SUV (BMW advertises it as an SAV or Sport Activity Vehicle produced by the German Automaker BMW Hummer H1 and Hummer H3 sport-utilities were represented but did not appear in the leader positions. Hummer is a Brand of Off-road vehicles sold by General Motors, also known as GM The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors ' Hummer division introduced in 2006

Jean-Louis Schlesser built a series of custom dune buggy vehicles for the race and has won with them several times. Jean-Louis Schlesser (born September 12, 1948 in Nancy, France) is a racing driver with experience in circuit racing and cross-country A dune buggy is a recreational Vehicle with large Wheels and wide Tires designed for use on sand Dunes or Beaches The design American ("Baja") style pro trucks have also made appearances but they have seldom won. Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in the fall At present the main competitors in the car class are Mitsubishi, Volkswagen and Nissan.

Truck class—T4 and T5

The stages of Lisbon–Dakar 2006

The Truck class, also known as "Camions" or "Lorries", is made up of vehicles weighing more than 3,500 kg (7,716 lb). ^[6] They are divided into two groups, T4 and T5.

T4 class trucks participate in the competition, while T5 trucks travel from bivouac to bivouac to support the competition vehicles. ^[6] T4 trucks may provide assistance during the special stages but must be homologated vehicles. Homologation is a technical term derived from the Greek homologeo (ὁμολογέω for "to agree" which is generally used in English to signify The T4. 1 class covers production trucks, and the T4. 2 class covers modified trucks. ^[7]

T5 vehicles do not have to be homologated. ^[6]

The T4 class has been composed of vehicles manufactured by Tatra, LIAZ, Kamaz, Hino, MAN, DAF, Mercedes-Benz Unimog, Renault Kerax, SCANIA, IVECO, and GINAF. LIAZ ( '''LI'''berecké A utomobilové Z ávody - Liberec Automobil Works) is a defunct Czech and Czechoslovak Kamaz ( Кам ский а втомобильный з авод - Камаз / Kam skiy a vtomobilny z avod - Kama Hino Motors Ltd (日野自動車 Hino Jidōsha,) commonly known as simply Hino is a Manufacturer of Diesel MAN AG is a German engineering Company based in Munich. MAN is one of Europe's leading manufacturers of engineering equipment DAF Trucks NV is a Dutch Truck manufacturing company and a division of PACCAR. Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the Unimog (ˈjuːnɨmɒɡ designates a range of multi purpose Four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. Renault Trucks is a French truck manufacturer with its corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Scania AB is a European Manufacturer of heavy Trucks ( British English: lorries) Buses and Diesel engines Iveco is an Italian Truck, Bus, and Diesel engine Manufacturer, based in Turin, Italy. GINAF is a Dutch Truck manufacturer which produces trucks mainly for heavy duty off-road transport construction and agricultural work In the 1980s, a strong rivalry between DAF and Mercedes-Benz led to vehicles which had twin engines and more than 1000 hp (750 kW). DAF Trucks NV is a Dutch Truck manufacturing company and a division of PACCAR. Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. Later Tatra, and Kamaz took the race up. Kamaz ( Кам ский а втомобильный з авод - Камаз / Kam skiy a vtomobilny z avod - Kama After 2000, renewed competition started in the truck class between DAF, Tatra, Mercedes-Benz and Kamaz. DAF Trucks NV is a Dutch Truck manufacturing company and a division of PACCAR. Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the Kamaz ( Кам ский а втомобильный з авод - Камаз / Kam skiy a vtomobilny z avod - Kama

Gallery

Nissan Lisbon-Dakar 2007	Unimog U400L n. Unimog (ˈjuːnɨmɒɡ designates a range of multi purpose Four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. 541 on second stage of the rally-raid Lisbon-Dakar 2006	Russian Kamaz, seven time Dakar winner	Bowler Wildcat on the Dakar Rally in 2007
Three motorcyclists on KTM machines	Jean-Louis Schlesser's Ford powered dune buggy	Hummer H3 buggy, driven by Robby Gordon in 2006	Tatra T815 The Loprais' 4x4 Tatra Dakar

Television coverage

For years the international television coverage of the rally was narrated by Toby Moody, a retired motorcycle rider whose distinct accent (especially pronouncing names that were unfamiliar to him, such as "Schless-ah", "Shi-no-zoo-ker" and "Me-oh-nee") adds to the personality of the race. Kamaz ( Кам ский а втомобильный з авод - Камаз / Kam skiy a vtomobilny z avod - Kama The Bowler Wildcat is an off-road vehicle originally made by Bowler Offroad, based on the Land Rover Defender. KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian Motorcycle manufacturer Jean-Louis Schlesser (born September 12, 1948 in Nancy, France) is a racing driver with experience in circuit racing and cross-country Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following A dune buggy is a recreational Vehicle with large Wheels and wide Tires designed for use on sand Dunes or Beaches The design The Hummer H3 SUV is a vehicle from General Motors ' Hummer division introduced in 2006 Robert W Gordon (born in Bellflower California, on January 2, 1969) is an American Racing driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Tatra T815 is a Truck produced by Tatra. The T815 and its descendant models brought the Czech truck racer Karel Loprais to victory six times in the Toby Moody is a British Sports commentator focused on Motor racing. In Linguistics, an accent is a manner of Pronunciation of a language However, with the event's tortuous schedule Toby handed the microphone to established voice Martin Haven.

Coverage of the race in the United States has been spotty over the years. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Speed Channel devoted a half-hour per day in 2003 and 2004 to the event before being outbid by the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) for 2005. Speed, sometimes still referred to as the Speed Channel, is a cable and satellite Television channel broadcast to various parts of North OLN ( Outdoor Life Network) is a Canadian English language Cable television Specialty channel. OLN only programmed a single hour-long retrospective well after the event concluded. But in 2006, OLN upped its coverage to half-hour-long nightly stage recaps including reporters traveling in the bivouacs. Versus (formerly Outdoor Life Network) continued showing half-hour daily recaps for the 2007 Dakar Rally, and showed several hour-long summaries as well. Versus is a Cable television sports channel owned by Comcast and shown in the United States.

In Europe the coverage is also covered by Eurosport. Eurosport is the largest European sports Satellite and cable network available in 54 countries and broadcasting in 20 different languages In 2007 Eurosport shows both live feeds and some reruns the next day of the past day's live show. This was voiced by another Dakar victim, Carlton Kirby.

In Australia, the Dakar is covered by Fox Sports, with daily morning and afternoon recaps of the recent day's action. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Fox Sports is an Australian group of Sports channels They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation SBS TV also broadcasts daily 30 minute recaps during the race. SBS TV, sometimes SBS, is a national public television channel in Australia.

Over 22 different countries take the international feed of the event with a roundup of every day being made into a 26-minute programme.

A television documentary Race To Dakar described the experiences of a team including the actor Charley Boorman in preparation for and entry into the 2006 Dakar Rally. Race To Dakar is a documentary series following actor and keen motorcyclist Charley Boorman 's entry into the 2006 Lisbon- Dakar Rally. Charley Boorman (born 23 August 1966 is an English actor and adventurer

Incidents

Moroccan security wall during the Dakar Rally

In 1982, Mark Thatcher, son of the then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, along with his French co-driver Charlotte Verney and their mechanic, went missing for six days. Sir Mark Thatcher 2nd Baronet (born 15 August 1953 is the only son of Sir Denis Thatcher and Baroness Thatcher, the former British Prime Minister The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. On January 9, the trio became separated from a convoy of vehicles after they stopped to make repairs to a faulty steering arm. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Steering is the term applied to the collection of components linkages etc They were declared missing on January 12; after a large-scale search, a Lockheed L100 search plane from the Algerian military spotted their white Peugeot 504 some 50 km (30 mi) off course. Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The military of Algeria is the direct successor of the Armée de Libération Nationale (ALN the armed wing of the nationalist National Liberation Front The Peugeot 504 is a Large family car produced by French automaker Peugeot between 1968 and 1983 in Europe. Thatcher, Verney and the mechanic were all unharmed.

The organiser of the rally, Thierry Sabine, was killed when his Ecureuil helicopter crashed at 07:30 p. Thierry Sabine (° 13 June 1949 in Neuilly-sur-Seine - † 14 January 1986 - French wrangler Motorcycle racer - founder and main organizer of Paris m. on Tuesday 14 January 1986, into a dune at Mali during a sudden sand-storm. Also killed onboard was the singer-songwriter Daniel Balavoine, helicopter pilot François-Xavier Bagnoud, journalist Nathalie Odent and Jean-Paul Lefur who was a radiophonic engineer for RTL. Daniel Balavoine ( Alençon, February 5, 1952 &ndash January 14, 1986) was a French Singer and Songwriter In France, RTL is a popular nation-wide commercial radio network owned by the RTL Group. ^[8]

Six people were killed during the 1988 race, three participants and three local residents. In one incident, Baye Sibi, a 10-year-old Malian girl, was killed by a racer while she crossed a road. Mali, officially the Republic of Mali (République du Mali is a Landlocked nation in Western Africa. A film crew's vehicle killed a mother and daughter in Mauritania on the last day of the race. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country The race participants killed, in three separate crashes, were a Dutch navigator on the DAF Trucks team, a French privateer, and a French rider. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands DAF Trucks NV is a Dutch Truck manufacturing company and a division of PACCAR. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. In Motorsport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an Automobile manufacturer MotorCycle is the title of a 1993 album by Rock band Daniel Amos, released on BAI Records. Racers were also blamed for starting a wildfire that caused a panic on a train running between Dakar and Bamako, where three more people were killed. A wildfire, also known as a wildland fire, forest fire, brush fire, vegetation fire, grass fire, Peat fire, Bamako, population 1690471 (2006 is the Capital and largest city of Mali, and currently estimated to be the fastest growing city in ^[9]

In 2005, Spanish motorcyclist José Manuel Pérez died in a Spanish hospital on Monday, January 10 after crashing the week before on the 7th stage. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Italian motorcyclist Fabrizio Meoni, a two-time winner of the event, became the second Dakar Rally rider to die in two days, following Pérez on January 11 on stage 11. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Fabrizio Meoni ( December 31 1957 in Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy - January 11 2005 in Kiffa, Mauritania Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Meoni was the 11th motorcyclist and the 45th competitor overall to die in the history of the race. On January 13, a five-year-old Senegalese girl was crushed beneath the wheels of a service lorry after wandering onto a main road, bringing the total deaths to five. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Many other African non-participants are said to have been killed because of the Dakar rally, but unlike the participants, no official figures are available and the names of the victims are usually not given.

In 2006, 41 year old Australian KTM motorcyclist Andy Caldecott, in his third time in the Dakar, died January 9 as a result of neck injuries received in a crash approximately 250 km (155 mi) into stage 9, between Nouakchott and Kiffa, only a few kilometers from the location where Meoni had his fatal wreck the year before. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. KTM Sportmotorcycle AG is an Austrian Motorcycle manufacturer Andy Caldecott (10 August 1964 – 9 January 2006 was an Off road Motorcycle racer born in Keith South Australia. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Nouakchott ( Arabic: or translation from [[Berber languages|Berber] "The place of the winds"] Nawākšūṭ is the Capital and by far the largest Kiffa is a city and department in south-central Mauritania. Kiffa is capital of Assaba Region. He won the third stage of the 2006 event between Nador and Er Rachidia only a few days before his death. Nador ( Amazigh:Nnadur) is a northeastern Moroccan city located in the Rif region Er Rachidia ( Amazigh: Imteghren) formly Ksar es Souk is a partially Amazigh -speaking town in eastern Morocco. The death occurred despite efforts by the event organisers to improve competitor safety, including speed limits, mandatory rest at fuel stops, and reduced fuel capacity requirements for the bike classes. On January 13, a 10-year old boy died while crossing the course after being hit by a car driven by Latvian Māris Saukāns, while on January 14 a 12-year old boy was killed after being hit by a support lorry. Events 532 - Nika riots in Constantinople. 888 - Odo Count of Paris becomes King of the Franks Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Events 1129 - Formal approval of the Order of the Templar at the Council of Troyes. ^[10]

In 2007, 29-year old South African motor racer Elmer Symons died of injuries sustained in a crash during the fourth stage of the Rally. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Elmer Symons ( 14 February 1977 in Ladysmith KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - 9 January, 2007 rural Morocco) was Symons crashed with his bike in the desert between Er Rachidia and Ouarzazate, Morocco. Er Rachidia ( Amazigh: Imteghren) formly Ksar es Souk is a partially Amazigh -speaking town in eastern Morocco. Ouarzazate ( Arabic, ورزازات Warzāzāt) (called The door of the desert) is a City Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa ^[11] Another death occurred on January 20, the night before the race's finish, when 42-year-old motorcyclist Eric Aubijoux died suddenly. Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. The cause of death was initially believed to be a heart attack,^[12] however it was later suggested that Aubijoux died of internal injuries sustained in a crash earlier that day while competing in the 14th stage of the race.

The 2008 Dakar Rally was cancelled due to security concerns after the al-Qaeda based murder of four French tourists on Christmas eve in December 2007 in Mauritania (a country in which the rally spends eight days), accusations against the rally calling it "neo-colonialist," and accusations against Mauritania calling it a supporter of "crusaders, apostates and infidels", the France-based Amaury Sport Organisation, in charge of the 6,000-kilometre (3,700 mi) rally, said in a statement they had been advised by the French government to cancel the race which was due to begin on January 5, 2008, from Lisbon. The 2008 Dakar Rally would have been the 30th running of the annual off-road race Al-Qaeda, alternatively spelled al-Qaida, al-Qa`ida or al-Qa`idah, ( Arabic:; ar-Latn ''al-qāʿidah'' Translation: The Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO is part of the French media group EPA ( Éditions Philippe Amaury) and is well-known as the organiser of various major sporting Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common They said direct threats had also been made against the event by al-Qaeda related organizations. ^[13][14]

Omar Osama bin Laden, son of Osama bin Laden, recently attracted widespread news coverage by promoting himself as an "ambassador of peace" and proposing a 3,000-mile (4,800 km) horse race across North Africa as a replacement to the Dakar Rally, with sponsors' money going to support child victims of war, saying "I heard the rally was stopped because of al-Qaida. Omar bin Osama bin Muhammad bin 'Awad bin Laden (عمر بن أسامة بن محمد بن عوض بن لادن born 1981) better known as Omar Osama bin Laden (also Osama bin Laden, with some spelling variations is the name used in English to refer to (أسامة بن محمد بن عوض بن لادن born 10 March I don't think they are going to stop me. "^[15]

The Dakar Rally had been held uninterrupted since 1979 although there have been regular calls for its cancellation over security fears and the danger the fast-driving vehicles pose to local populations. ^[16]

Criticism

The race has been subject to criticism from several sources, generally focusing on the race's impact on the inhabitants of the countries through which it passes. The environmental impact of the race has been another issue. This rejection of the race is notably the topic of the song "500 connards sur la ligne de départ" ("500 Assholes at the Starting Line"), by French singer Renaud. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Renaud Séchan, known as Renaud, born in Paris on May 11, 1952, is a popular French Singer. But recent figures show that throughout the whole of two weeks of racing, with over 500 vehicles competing, the carbon emissions of The Paris Dakar are approximately that of a single Formula 1 race. ^[17]

The rally was criticised for crossing through the disputed, non-decolonized territory of Western Sahara, without consulting the Polisario Front, which is considered representative of the Sahrawi people. Decolonization refers to the undoing of Colonialism, the establishment of governance or authority through the creation of settlements by another country or jurisdiction Western Sahara ( Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: as-Ṣaḥrā' al-Gharbīyah; Sahara Occidental is a territory The Polisario, Polisario Front, or Frente Polisario, from the Spanish abbreviation of Frente Po pular de Li beración de Sa After the race officials began asking for formal permission from the Polisario from 2000 onwards, this has not been an issue.

After the 1988 race, when three Africans were killed in collisions with vehicles involved in the race, PANA, a Dakar-based news agency, wrote that the deaths were "insignificant for the [race's] organizers". News agency (alternative A news agency is an organization of Journalists established to supply News reports to organizations in the News trade The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano called the race a "vulgar display of power and wealth in places where men continue to die from hunger and thirst. Vatican City, officially the State of the Vatican City (Stato della Città del Vaticano is a Landlocked sovereign City-state whose territory L'Osservatore Romano ( English: The Roman Observer) is the "semi-official" Newspaper of the Holy See. "^[18] During a 2002 protest at the race's start in Arras, France, a Green Party of France statement described the race as "colonialism that needs to be eradicated". Arras (Atrecht is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. Les Verts (or The Greens are an Ecologist Political party to the Centre-left of the Political spectrum in France. ^[19]

Some residents along the race's course have said they see limited benefits from the race; that race participants spend little money on the goods and services local residents can offer. The racers produce substantial amounts of dust along the course, and are blamed for hitting and killing livestock, in addition to occasionally injuring or killing people. ^[20]

List of winners

Year	Cars		Motorcycles		Trucks		Route
	Driver Co-Driver	Manufacturer	Rider	Manufacturer	Driver	Manufacturer
2007	Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret	Mitsubishi Pajero	Cyril Despres	KTM 690 Rally	Hans Stacey	MAN	Lisbon-Dakar
2006	Luc Alphand Gilles Picard	Mitsubishi Pajero	Marc Coma	KTM LC4 660R	Vladimir Chagin	Kamaz	Lisbon-Dakar
2005	Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret	Mitsubishi Pajero	Cyril Despres	KTM LC4 660R	Firdaus Kabirov	Kamaz	Barcelona-Dakar
2004	Stéphane Peterhansel Jean-Paul Cottret	Mitsubishi Pajero	Nani Roma	KTM LC4 660R	Vladimir Chagin	Kamaz	Clermont-Ferrand-Dakar
2003	Hiroshi Masuoka Andrea Schulz	Mitsubishi Pajero	Richard Sainct	KTM LC4 660R	Firdaus Kabirov	Kamaz	Marseille-Sharm el Sheikh
2002	Hiroshi Masuoka Pascal Maimon	Mitsubishi Pajero	Fabrizio Meoni	KTM LC8 950R	Vladimir Chagin	Kamaz	Arras-Madrid-Dakar
2001	Jutta Kleinschmidt Andrea Schulz	Mitsubishi Pajero	Fabrizio Meoni	KTM LC4 660R	Karel Loprais	Tatra	Paris-Dakar
2000	Jean-Louis Schlesser Henri Magne	Schlesser-Renault Buggy	Richard Sainct	BMW F650RR	Vladimir Chagin	Kamaz	Paris-Dakar-Cairo
1999	Jean-Louis Schlesser Philippe Monnet	Schlesser-Renault Buggy	Richard Sainct	BMW F650RR	Karel Loprais	Tatra	Granada-Dakar
1998	Jean-Pierre Fontenay Gilles Picard	Mitsubishi Pajero	Stéphane Peterhansel	Yamaha YZE850T	Karel Loprais	Tatra	Paris-Granada-Dakar
1997	Kenjiro Shinozuka Henri Magne	Mitsubishi Pajero	Stéphane Peterhansel	Yamaha YZE850T	Peter Reif	Hino	Dakar-Agades-Dakar
1996	Pierre Lartigue Michel Perin	Citroën ZX	Edi Orioli	Yamaha YZE850T	Viktor Moskovskikh	Kamaz	Granada-Dakar
1995	Pierre Lartigue Michel Perin	Citroën ZX	Stéphane Peterhansel	Yamaha YZE850T	Karel Loprais	Tatra	Granada-Dakar
1994	Pierre Lartigue Michel Perin	Citroën ZX	Edi Orioli	Cagiva Elefant 900	Karel Loprais	Tatra	Paris-Dakar-Paris
1993	Bruno Saby Dominique Seriyes	Mitsubishi Pajero	Stéphane Peterhansel	Yamaha YZE850T	Francesco Perlini	Perlini	Paris-Dakar
1992	Hubert Auriol Philippe Monnet	Mitsubishi Pajero	Stéphane Peterhansel	Yamaha YZE850T	Francesco Perlini	Perlini	Paris-Sirte-Cape Town
1991	Ari Vatanen Bruno Berglund	Citroën ZX	Stéphane Peterhansel	Yamaha YZE750T	Jacques Houssat	Perlini	Paris-Tripoli-Dakar
1990	Ari Vatanen Bruno Berglund	Peugeot 405 T16	Edi Orioli	Cagiva Elefant 900	Villa	Perlini	Paris-Tripoli-Dakar
1989	Ari Vatanen Bruno Berglund	Peugeot 405 T16	Gilles Lalay	Honda NXR800V			Paris-Tunis-Dakar
1988	Juha Kankkunen Juha Piironen	Peugeot 205 T16	Edi Orioli	Honda NXR800V	Karel Loprais	Tatra	Paris-Alger-Dakar
1987	Ari Vatanen Bernard Giroux	Peugeot 205 T16	Cyril Neveu	Honda NXR750V	Jan de Rooy	DAF	Paris-Alger-Dakar
1986	René Metge Dominique Lemoyne	Porsche 959	Cyril Neveu	Honda NXR750V	Giacomo Vismara	Mercedes-Benz	Paris-Alger-Dakar
1985	Patrick Zaniroli Jean Da Silva	Mitsubishi Pajero	Gaston Rahier	BMW GS980R	Karl-Friedrich Capito	Mercedes-Benz	Paris-Alger-Dakar
1984	René Metge Dominique Lemoyne	Porsche 911	Gaston Rahier	BMW GS980R	Pierre Lalleu	Mercedes-Benz	Paris-Alger-Dakar
1983	Jacky Ickx Claude Brasseur	Mercedes 280 G	Hubert Auriol	BMW GS980R	Georges Groine	Mercedes-Benz	Paris-Alger-Dakar
1982	Claude Marreau Bernard Marreau	Renault 20	Cyril Neveu	Honda XR550	Georges Groine	Mercedes-Benz	Paris-Alger-Dakar
1981	René Metge Bernard Giroux	Range Rover	Hubert Auriol	BMW GS800R	Adrien Villette	ALM/ACMAT	Paris-Dakar
1980	Freddy Kottulinsky Gerd Löffelmann	Volkswagen Iltis	Cyril Neveu	Yamaha XT500	Ataouat	Sonacome	Paris-Dakar
1979	Alain Génestier Joseph Terbiaut	Range Rover	Cyril Neveu	Yamaha XT500			Paris-Dakar

See also

• Plymouth-Banjul Challenge - low-cost alternative
• Budapest-Bamako - another low-cost alternative
• DARPA Grand Challenge - Cars are driven without drivers
• Baja 1000
• Trans-oriental Rally

References

External links

• dakar.com (multilingual)
• Dakar 2007 Video and Photo Gallery