The Dakar Rally!

The sporting spirit of the 25th Dakar

Continuing their efforts to ensure the sporting equity of the Dakar, which were welcomed by the competitors and the observers in 2002, the organisers' major objective in 2003 is a race where the intrinsic value of each competitor and respect of the rules will be the requirements for success.

Having had a huge popular success in 2002, the evening departure will be renewed this year and the departure of the 2003 Telefónica - Dakar 2003 will be given in the evening of January 1st. After the crossing of France and Spain, the rallye will join Tunisia on January 5th and will go through Libya, and Egpyt. The finish town will be the egyptian city of Sharm el Sheikh, located on the banks on the Red Sea (January 19th).

The competitors will cross 5 countries (France, Spain, Tunisia, Libya & Egypt) and will face 15 specials stages, including 13 in Africa. The route will vary with a wide range of tracks and crossing stages as well as desert stages. It will be spiced by two Marathon stages, one loop stage and two stages with a restricted use of the GPS.

Bob Dyer