After the news that Chilé would be dropped from the 2016 Dakar Rally because of extensive flooding near the course area, the iconic race and its organizers had to go back to the drawing board to find a challenging alternative for The Dakar’s 8th race in South America.
The ASO believes they have done just that, announcing that the 2016 Dakar Rally will go through Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina, with stages in the Andes Mountains being the highlight of rally raid competition.
The race organizers says that the landscape in Peru will bring stages with sand dunes, while the route through Bolivia will be more extensive than in the past. As such, racers will contend with Bolivia’s high-altitude plains territory, a true physical test in its own right, with a stage even going through Lake Titicaca.
Argentina will be the last country on the 2016 route, and as in previous editions of The Dakar, its varied terrain will test the then battered group of riders as they make their way to the finish in Rosario.
All eyes will be on Marc Coma to see if he can surpass Cyril Despres in Dakar wins, and match Stéphane Peterhansel for the number of all-time motorcycle class victories in the Dakar Rally.
Rally raid fans will also be curious to see the progress of Laia Sanz, who has made the jump from HRC to the factory KTM team. Strong results are expected from HRC, and Yamaha Racing seems to be slowly getting its act together as a serious contender. Good stuff.
Source: Dakar
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