In accordance with Peru decision not to take part in Dakar-2016 as a host country, the organizers of the race prepared an alternative route based on their knowledge of Argentina and Bolivia. Thanks to constant support of the Argentinian and the Bolivian government, the new route will attract the bravest to technical and speed stages … but wait, there is more.
After 3 months and a half sportsmen and organizers will meet at last in Buenos-Aires!
“Thanks to direct involvement and support of the Bolivian and the Argentinian government we found correct technical decisions in order to meet the challenge set to us in the end of August. Loyalty to Dakar of the both countries means that we are able to propose racers a high quality event in 2016,” says the general manager of Dakar Etienne Lavigne.
While the dates and number of stages and distance stay the same, character of the territories will make the competitors use an alternate approach to pilotage that implies using highest levels of a gear box. There’ll be less dunes and more technical tracks during first days of the race which lead the race caravan to San Salvador de Jujuy. Later a new route was developed to achieve Bolivia, bivouac Uyuni in particular, where crews of all categories are going to gather this time. “New configuration of marathon stages is waiting for the participants there,” explains Marc Coma, the sports director of the event. “We are going to organize a closed park for participants of Jujuy, while the assistance trucks and cars will be crossing a longer route in Uyuni. Bolivian route part implies 3 race days at a greater height”.
Achieving Salta on January 10, where a rest day will be organized, Dakar will take direction to Rosario repeating the route initially developed for edition 2016. Six stages in the foothills of Andes were created right for suggesting a challenging race end with sand stages to demanding pilots, especially in Fiambala desert sector. The sports director of the event Marc Coma, who led the route reconnaissance for that part of the race, cautions that ‘the idea of persistence is major on the very stages because moto and quadro categories will have to manage with the second for them marathon stage. I’ve got a feeling that changes in the top general classification are more likely on these stages.”
Program for rally Dakar 2016
31/12 and 1/01 Administrative and technical checks
2/01 Starting podium in Buenos-Aires
03/01 Buenos-Aires – Villa Carlos Paz
04/01 Villa-Carlos-Paz – Terma-de-Rio Hondo
05/01 Terma-de-Rio Hondo – Jujuy
06/01 Jujuy – Jujuy
07/01 Jujuy – Uyuni
08/01 Uyuni – Uyuni
09/01 Uyuni – Salta
10/01 Rest day in Salta
11/01 Salta – Belem
12/01 Belem – Belem
13/01 Belem – La Rioja
14/01 La Rioja - San Juan
15/01 San Juan - Villa Carlos Paz
16/01 Villa Carlos Paz - Rosario
