2011 Dakar Stage
The Dakar first discovered South America back in ‘09. Three years later, route preparation for the 2011 Dakar Rally provided confirmation that the landscapes continues to amaze, as the terrain is set to challenge the best of the world’s motorcycle enduro riders.
In Argentina, the race will visit five new provinces. The route will come close to the borders of Bolivia, taking the competitors to Jujuy, Salta and Tucuman: the most loyal of these gauchos of a different kind will have ridden their motorcycles through 17 of the country’s 23 provinces in the space of three years.
In Chile, as well, the Dakar Rally has opted to push back the boundaries. Near to Arica, at the very northern tip of the Atacama Desert, the motorcycle racing competitors will near the Peru border for the better part of a day.
Racers are currently on the ground in Buenos Aires for final preparation as the start of the 2011 Dakar race closes in on Jan. 1.
The Stages for the 2011 Dakar Rally
Day One: Buenos Aires to Victoria – 377 km untimed, on the road to the first night in the bivouac
Stage 1: Victoria to Cordoba – 566km road; 192 km special for the technically proficient, narrow tracks, finishing in the mountains
Stage 2: Cordoba to San Miguel de Tucuman – 440 km road; 300 km special- Heading north and into the forest, plenty of jumps on the old track
Stage 3: San Miguel de Tucuman to San Salvador de Jujuy – 231 km road; 521 km special: Desert canyons into earth tracks then thick forests
Stage 4: San Salvador de Jujuy to Calama – 554 km road; special 207 km; across the Andes via the Paso de Jama pass (at 4800 m) and into Chile and the Atacama Desert
Stage 5: Calama to Iquique – 36 km road; 423 km special: mixed terrain, rocky track and the dunes down to Iquique at an average gradient of 32%
Stage 6: Iquique to Arica – 265 km road, 456 km special: North to the Peruvian border over plenty of dunes and the dreaded fesh-fesh (known in Chile as Guadal)
REST DAY
Stage 7: Arica to Antofagasta – 208 km road, 631 km in two stages of special down to the Pacific Ocean. Endurance style riding of 40 km and dunes that will test the riders’ skill and fitness over the longest stage
Stage 8: Antofagasta to Copiapo – 268 km road, 508 km special: Tricky navigation in the Chilean desert finishing with a long sandy section at the end of the day
Stage 9: Copiapo to Copiapo – 35 km link, 235 km special: a loop through the desert that can trick even the most experienced that kicks off with a group start in rows of 10 and later rows of 20
Stage 10: Copiapo to Chilecito – 686 km road, special 176 km: back Across the Andes and into the hot white dunes of Fiambala.
Stage 11: Chilecito to San Juan – 164 km road, special 722 km; fabulous canyons in the foothills of the Andes against a sandy backdrop.
Stage 12: San Juan to Cordoba – 123 km link, special 555 km. A final battle for the title on the long penultimate day starting with 100km of sand track
Stage 13: Cordoba to Buenos Aires – 645 km link, 181 km special. Riders still need all of their concentration to settle the result with the short special finishing at the Baradero racing track