The European stage will feature several geo-challenges and
special stages. Teams will have to find castle ruins, abandoned
quarries and solve several mysteries. European stages will
mainly be a warm up for the African stages of the rally.
Looking for a geo-challenge in Europe will be quite demanding,
because the teams will have to make sure they find an interesting
geo-spot, they will need to take a photo in front of it and
speed to the next daily stage. Daily stages are also time
limited which makes map reading, logical thinking and resourcefulness
crucial to gaining additional points. The so-called Super
Marathon will begin on the second day in Brescia, Italy and
will end in Merzouga, Morocco.
MOROCCO
The first day in Africa will begin with the crossing of the
Mediterranean sea with the ferry from Almeria. The route
will then take the teams towards the south of the Morocco,
driving along rocky roads and to sandbanks of Erg Chebbi.
The second day in Africa will be the start of the off road
drive across the moon shaped landscape, by the coast of the
drying up lake Iriki and to Foum Zguid oasis. The route
will then lead from the oasis to the town of Tadalt. The
route from Yadalt to Smara will enable teams to see the remains
of the Dakar rally of 1991. The longest part of the stage
in Morocco will be from Smara to the Tropic of Cancer. This
route will also follow exactly defined routes due to security
recommendations.
MAURITANIA
The stage will start in Bou Lanoar and the route will follow
the railway line and unsettled strips to Atar, in the northern
part of Mauritania. Only most experienced drivers should
then take the route from Atar to Kiffa, because the stages
are to follow the most difficult landscapes of sandbanks
and stone deserts. Even legendary Dakar admitted that this
part is truly difficult for rally participants and that many
teams withdraw from the race at this stage. In Kiffa, the
route then turns east and continues towards the Mali border.
MALI
Mud shacks, baobab trees and dust clouds to
endless parts of savannah in Mali will mark routes through
villages full of friendly locals. The Mali stages will be
less demanding than the Mauritania ones, but determination
and resourcefulness will bring additional points. The last
stage from Banamba to the capital of Bamako will also be
the last African strip of the rally. All teams will be accommodated
in the hotel in Bamako after the rally ends. After 12 days
of driving in Africa, it will be a well-deserved rest with
plenty of water to have a proper bath.
