Competitors in next year’s Dakar Rally will face a gruelling two week challenge in the deserts and mountains of Saudi Arabia.
The 46th edition of the world’s toughest Rally Raid event is the fifth to be held in Saudi Arabia. The start on January 5 is from the 1000-year-old city of Al Ula, and the Dakar will cross the country in the direction of the `Empty Quarter’ and then loop back to finish in Yanbu on the shores of the Red Sea on January 19.
The rally itinerary includes a Prologue stage and 12 special stages, the longest being a 600km marathon stage in the `Empty Quarter’ desert region with no service support. The route will include 5,000km of spe...