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Dakar Rally organisers have released the route for the 2019 edition, revealing that it will take place in Peru only.
ASO (Amaury Sport Organisation) has announced that the 41st running of Dakar will take place from January 6-17.
Comprising 10 stages, it will start in Lima and return to the Peruvian capital in a large loop.
“Mapped around the Peruvian deserts, the 2019 Dakar promises to be one of the sandiest in the history of the rally,” read Dakar.com.
“While the expanded visit to the country will offer a healthy portion of dunes it will also feature a variety of terrain that will suit all riding and driving styles.”
Dakar 2018 started in Lima and travelled through Bolivia before finishing in Cordoba, Argentina.
It was scheduled for 14 stages across 15 days, but Stage 9 was cancelled altogether and Stage 12 cancelled for Bikes and Quads due to weather.
Organisers have also introduced a ‘second chance’ classification for competitors in Cars, SxS, and Trucks.
Those who would otherwise retire during the first week from “mechanical breakdown, or an accident, or getting stuck in a dune” will be permitted to return in the second week, according to Dakar.com.
KTM rider Matthias Walkner won this year’s Dakar Bikes title, Carlos Sainz the Cars title for Peugeot, Eduard Nikolaev the Trucks title for Kamaz-Master, Ignacio Casale the Quads on a Yamaha, and Reinaldo Varela the SxS title on a Can-Am.
Toby Price won two stages and finished third overall in Bikes a year after withdrawing from Dakar with a broken leg in a result he described as a “dream come true.”
