7 Days of Dakar: Day 2

The Dakar Rally has always been likened to an adventure. In some ways, the competition of the race takes a back seat to the epic experience of traversing the barren desert landscapes of South America on a bike or in a car or truck. Along the way, competitors will experience thick mud and sand, searing heat, drenching rain, dizzying drops, and swollen rivers in their quest to make it to the end of a stage. For some, a mechanical breakdown or crash might mean having to spend a night out under the stars until they can be found and recovered. However, the adventure nature of the event isn’t limited to the competitors. What about the organizers who plan the route? A few years ago, Eurosport did a special on exactly how the Dakar route gets created each year. As it turns out, just trying to determine a safe, but also challenging route for the Dakar Rally is an adventure in and of itself! At times, the scenes of cooking Argentinian steaks over an open fire in the middle of the desert under a blanket of stars seems quite idyllic. However when you see these guys constantly getting stuck and having to dig and tow their vehicles out of the deep sand day after day, it drives home how brutal even just planning the Dakar rally can be. Have a look at this clip from Eurosport and see what it’s all about!

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