40th Dakar Rally set
to be toughest ever
T
he riders competing in the 2018 Dakar Rally
will face the toughest ever path to glory
in South America. Organisers ASO have
unveiled a punishing route for the rally raid
elite to tackle when the race returns to
South America from January 6-20, 2018.
The bike, as well as car, truck, quad and UTV,
competitors will have to navigate their way across
10,000km of the world’s most hostile motorsport
terrain to complete the course.
The 40th anniversary edition of the world’s most
iconic rally raid race returns to South America for
the 10th time including a trip to Peru after a
five-year absence.
Former champions Toby Price, Stéphane
Peterhansel, Nasser Al-Attiyah, Sam Sunderland,
and Eduard Nikolaev will need to draw on all their
experience to get through the opening six stages
leaving from Lima.
Current truck champion Nikolaev revealed,
“The race starts in Peru which has challenging desert
sections with big dunes. This race is going to be a
serious battle from the first day onwards without
any warm-up.”
Anyone expecting it to get easier once the race
crosses into Bolivia for three stages will be denied
relief as the extreme altitude and dramatic weather
changes test everyone to the limit, the La Paz rest
day giving the field a much needed chance to
regroup.
Thirteen-time Dakar winner Peterhansel explained,
“Once again I can see the days we spend at high
altitude being the key to this race. We have four
or five days at extreme altitude and this is never
easy to manage.”
Argentina provides the backdrop for the final
stretch as the draining heat and perilous terrain
test the remaining competitors heading into
the Cordoba finish.
Red Bull KTM Factory Team rider Price said,
“Even though we’ve seen the route you still never
really know what the Dakar can throw at you until
you’re out there racing.”
Reigning bike champion Sunderland claimed,
“It’s a big honour for me to be going in with the #1
plate on my bike and this also puts some weight
on my shoulders. I’ll be doing my best to keep
a cool head and take each day as it comes.”