The route of the Dakar 2018 announced

The end of November always brings an annual presentation of the incoming Dakar Rally. The anniversary 40th edition looks very promising, looking at the planned route of the race and the set of contestants that have confirmed their participation. The quad category will have the record number of 50 riders. 

The meeting in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris brought together the off-road elite from around the world. Poland was proudly represented by two athletes who aim for the highest podium: a quad rider, Rafał Sonik and a Mini driver, Jakub Przygoński.

Etienne Lavigne traditionally welcomed the guests and passed a microphone to the ministers of tourism from the three host countries: Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. However, the audience was anxiously waiting for Marc Coma, Dakar sporting director and a five-time champion of the rally. The Spanish winner presented the specifics of the route, going into detail about each particular stage.

“Special stages are not going to be long, but certainly tiring and difficult. The dunes of Peru guarantee technical challenges. The Bolivian part will provide some space for preparation before the last section of the race where the vehicles are to cross dozens of rivers and streams. During the last rally of Morocco, many bikers weren’t able to cross some of the fords and the memories of such obstacles are quite fresh. Moreover, the weather in Argentina can be fickle at this time of year and gentle streams can turn into wild rivers in an instant”, explained Sonik. “Anyhow, looks like the 40th edition of the Dakar Rally is going to be much more interesting and challenging than it’s been in the last couple years”, added the Polish champion.