#Dakar2019

The Dakar, originally named Paris-Dakar originated in December 1977. 182 vehicles took the start of the inaugural rally in Paris, with 74 surviving the 10,000-kilometer (6,200 mi) trip to the Senegalese capital of Dakar. The mid-2000s saw the Dakar Rally reach the height of its popularity. The entry list increased to a record 688 competitors starting in 2005. The 2008 event, due to depart Lisbon as per the previous two years, was canceled on 4. January 2008 amid fears of terrorist attacks in Mauritania, causing serious doubts over the future of the rally. Chile and Argentina offered to host subsequent events. Since 2009 the rally has taken place in two or three South American countries, but the 2019 event will take place in just one country for the very first time – Peru. The organizer announced a course of 5541km / 10 stages with 2889km special stages. A mere shadow of the original event. This raises questions about the Dakar's future.

[dakar2019]

Remaining calm and focused, Andrew Short has climbed up to an impressive 5th place in the Dakar’s overall standings finishing the 2019 Dakar Rally raid behind winner Toby Price, runner up Matthias Walkner, Sam Sunderland and team-mate Pablo Quintanilla. The Chilean, who was second in the general standings before this last stage, has fallen after only 10 km of the special.

He rode through the pain to save 4th place at the Dakar.More here....

[dakar2019]

Dakar 2019 - Stage 10: Pisco > Lima  - Liaison: 359km / 223 miles Stage: 112 km / 70 miles The last stage in the dunes of Pisco  will be anything but a walk in the park for the competitors still in the race after what  has been one of the toughest editions of the Dakar. The dune-heavy 112 km special will keep the leaders honest to the end!

[dakar2019]

It was an endless, troublesome day for the Monster Energy Honda Team riders who suffered the harshness of the Dakar Rally, particularly for Ricky Brabec, who was forced to abandon the race while still holding top spot in the general standings. “It was a shame, but I will go away happy with the good pace that I have set in this Dakar.

I will return with even more motivation next year,” stated the American as he arrived back at the Pisco bivouac.

[dakar2019]

Michael Metge took advantage on the favorites' hesitation to take any risk to claim his maiden Dakar stage win. The Sherco rider beat Daniel Nosiglia by two minutes. Pablo Quintanilla, Matthias Walkner and Toby Price monitored one another closely throughout stage 9, with a single second separating the three riders as they came across the finish line in this same order.

Toby Price will keep the overall lead ahead of the next stage.

[dakar2019]

Dakar 2019 - Stage 9: Pisco > Pisco loop Liaison: 408 km / 253 miles Special: 312 km / 193 miles Mass start: Waves of 10 in the bike category Groups of 4 in the car race Leading Overall standings: Bikes: Toby Price Quads: Nicolas Cavigliasso Cars: Nasser Al-Attiyah SxS: Chaleco Lopez Trucks: Dmitry Sotnikov

[dakar2019]

Take a look at Stage 3 to 5 from the eyes of the MINI JCW Team drivers. Follow Carlos Sainz / Lucas Cruz, Stéphane Peterhansel / David Castera and Cyril Despres / Jean-Paul Cottret on the Stages 3, 4 and 5 of the Dakar 2019 in Peru.

[dakar2019]

After today's 8th stage is Andrew Short the best overall ranking US American at the Dakar2019! Let that sink in - nobody had this actually super-nice former motocross and supercross racer on the radar for a top 5 rank trailing the leader by 39 minutes and who knows what comes the following 2 days.

It’s questionable but not impossible to improve. 4th ranked Yamaha rider Beveren is 30 minutes ahead. The short remaining stages may play him and his natural speed into the hands! Great job "Shorty"

[dakar2019]

Bad luck for Ricky Brabec! In a hugely dramatic turn of events, after only 56 km of the special, Ricky Brabec has broken his Honda’s engine. The leader of the general standings, who had been riding an exemplary race and could start to nurture serious hopes of becoming the first American to win the Dakar, looks very like having to exit the race prematurely!

Ricky Brabec is genuinely unlucky on the Dakar. Indeed, in 2018, the HRC rider was forced to drop out on stage 10 after the engine on his Honda broke. The same fate has befallen him and the world’s leading constructor has lost its best chance of winning the Dakar, a race that time and again slips through the grasp of the manufacturer with the winged logo…

[dakar2019]

Some footage from the first week of the 2019 Rally Raid in Peru that has not been published yet plus a personal summary by the editor regarding the surrounding of the 2019 Dakar.

View the video here.....

[dakar2019]

Leaving behind the memories of one of the most chaotic stages yet, the rally moved forward into its second half with all the competitors making their way to an overnight bivouac at Camana, making a liaison of 177kms, after the half day of rest in Arequipa.

The stage 6 challenged the competitors with three quarters of the special made of the sandy terrain. The highlights of the stage were the four dune sectors that were designed to cause significant gaps at the finish and bring about changes in the overall rankings. Read more here....

[dakar2019]

Little late with that update, but hey, better as never... Brief highlights from Stage 5 of the 2019 Dakar rally in Peru.

[dakar2019]

Honda Team video from the rest day of the 2019 Dakar Rally. The riders, however, after a well-deserved morning rest and massage session, are now preparing for the next stage while the mechanics have spent the morning checking over the bikes ready for this afternoon.

Today, Saturday at 17:00, riders are due to set off for the new bivouac in Camaná, some 175 kilometers from Arequipa, from where they will begin the final assault with the Dakar heading into the home straight for the conclusive week.

[dakar2019]

Dakar Rally 2019 leader Nasser Al-Attiyah extended his advantage over the chasing pack by topping the event's fourth stage, running from Arequipa to Tacna. X-raid Mini buggy driver Stephane Peterhansel, who ran first on the road after topping Wednesday's test, was marginally quicker than Al-Attiyah at the opening waypoint. Peterhansel, who lags nine minutes behind Al-Attiyah in the general classification, has taken over in second place from fellow X-raid driver Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who had a troubled run.

Honda rider Ricky Brabec topped the fourth stage of the 2019 Dakar Rally and snatched the overall lead from Husqvarna's Pablo Quintanilla. The 406km stage, which was split by a neutralized zone, was led by Brabec at every waypoint and the American scored his second Dakar stage win by 6m19s.

[dakar2019]

5th stage Tacna/Moquegua – Arequipa. According to the weather forecast there will be thick fog in the early morning, which will prevent the helicopters from carrying out their safety missions. As a result, the schedules for the stage have been modified as follows:

First bike to start: 8:00 First car to start on the first portion of the special: 9:50 Estimated start time for the first car on the second portion of the special: 16:20

[dakar2019]

The epic landscape of the Dakar Rally as it snakes its way through the shifting landscape of South America. The race originally took place between Paris, France and Dakar, Senegal, but due to security concerns in the region, it moved to South America ten years ago. This years edition is held entirely within Peru!

The race route changes from year to year. Photos from the past few years here show the sheer variety of landscapes - racers navigate their off-road cars, trucks, and motorcycles through mountains, salt flats, marshes and dunes.

[dakar2019]

Ricky Brabec is hauling the mail today! The Honda factory rider with the Nr. 15 plate is not letting up. At WP 5 of todays special he is continuing to lead by about 3:00 minutes. The KTM of Matthias Walkner is second at the moment and Toby Price is hanging in 3rd. Adrien Van Beveren trails by more than 8 minutes, Kevin Benavides by 11 minutes, Xavier de Soultrait by 12 minutes and general standings leader Pablo Quintanilla is struggling 13’27 behind!

[dakar2019]

Brief highlights from Stage 3 of the 2019 Dakar rally in Peru. De Villiers came to a standstill at 172km and lost four hours. The overall lead changed back to opening-stage winner Nasser Al-Attiyah.