The Dakar Rally pits over 400 drivers against each other in a gruelling 15-day race over thousands of miles between Portugal and Senegal on the west coast of Africa. In 2008, the rally starts in Lisbon and then heads through Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal.
Competitors from 24 countries drive a mixture of buggies, 4x4 vehicles, motorbikes and quad-bikes, but only a quarter of participants can expect to finish and reach the Lac du Rose near Dakar in Senegal. The lucky few cover five countries, two continents and contrasting extremes of heat and cold, with landscapes ranging from mountains to seaside corniches, desert and farmland.
Braving snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures, the inevitable sandstorms and searing desert heat, the event began in 1977 and creates more and more press attention, entrants and excitement every year.
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