The organizers of the Dakar Rally have released details on the 2011 edition of the adventure race. Dashing hopes that the race would return to its namesake, the Dakar Rally will again be held in Chile and Argentina. With the route going as far north as the Peruvian border, Dakar riders will see many more sand-filled stages, and will have to contend with a number of rule changes. Stage schedule and more, after the jump.
As with the 2010 Dakar, elite riders will have to complete the course on a dirt bikes that cannot exceed 450cc’s in displacement. Furthermore, the GPS functions on all bikes will be reduced for guidance to the race way points only, which means those riders who can read the road-book effectively will have a distinct advantage in the race.
The 33rd edition of the Dakar Rally will take place starting January 1st, 2011 and finish on January 16th. It will return to some venues seen in 2010, such as the white dunes of Fiambala, the vast Atacama Desert, or the dizzying descent to Iquique. The race will also introduce new venues, including five new provinces in Argentina, and the border territories of Peru and Bolivia.
Registration for the 2011 Dakar Rally opens May 15th, 2010.
Stage Schedule for the 2011 Dakar Rally:
| DATE | START | FINISH |
| 01/01 | Buenos Aires | Victoria |
| 01/02 | Victoria | Córdoba |
| 01/03 | Córdoba | San Miguel de Tucumán |
| 01/04 | San Miguel de Tucumán | San Salvador de Jujuy |
| 01/05 | San Salvador de Jujuy | Calama |
| 01/06 | Calama | Iquique |
| 01/07 | Iquique | Arica |
| 01/08 | Rest day | |
| 01/09 | Arica | Antofagasta |
| 01/10 | Antofagasta | Copiapo |
| 01/11 | Copiapo | Copiapo |
| 01/12 | Copiapo | Fiambalá |
| 01/13 | Fiambalá | San Juan |
| 01/14 | San Juan | Córdoba |
| 01/15 | Córdoba | Buenos Aires |
| 01/16 | FINISH | |
Source: Dakar
Comments