Dakar Rally: To Senegal With Love
Check out these pics of the perilous races -- still in progress at press time -- that feature cars, trucks, motorcycles, and sand dunes
The Dakar Rally, often characterized as the most arduous and dangerous motor race in the world, consists of 15 stages over the span of 16 days, with some 5,000 miles of competition to Senegal via Portugal, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, and Guinea. The 28th Dakar is now in its final stretch, with three days of competition remaining before the competitors arrive on the shores of Lake Rose in Dakar, Senegal.
Contested by a combination of professional teams -- such as Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Nissan, BMW, KTM, and Yamaha -- and numerous amateur drivers and riders in three categories (motorbikes, cars, and heavy trucks), the rally attracted 477 entries for the 2006 race. With 12 days completed, 210 remain in the event.
In cars -- the headline category -- Mitsubishi pilot and eight-time winner Stephane Peterhansel appeared to have the event well in hand, but hitting a tree cost him three hours. Teammate Luc Alphand and Volkswagen driver Giniel de Villiers are now the contenders for the overall victory. On the bikes, Marc Coma (KTM) has a fairly comfortable 30-minute lead, while four-time winner Vladimir Tchaguine, with a three-hour lead, should take the truck category barring any late disasters. Take a look at the leaders in the different categories.
By Tom Haapanen