2015 Dakar Rally Schedule | 37th Edition Details Unveiled

2015 Dakar Rally Schedule

The official details of the 2015 Dakar Rally – nicknamed “The Odyssey” – were unveiled Wednesday during a presentation at the Gabriel Pavilion in Paris’ iconic Champs-Elysees.

The 37th edition begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Jan. 4, 2015,  which is just over six weeks away. This year’s Dakar features 13 grueling stages and only one rest day halfway through. The 2015 Dakar Rally travels through Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, and ends Jan. 17, 2015, back in Buenos Aires

During the presentation, Étienne Lavigne, Dakar Race Director, said one of the predominant factors will be altitude. A few sections on the route stretch above nearly 2300 miles above sea level.

The 2015 Dakar Rally’s total length is 5,775 miles, with 2953 of those – over half – timed specials, making it over 300 miles longer than the 2014 Dakar.

New features will surely challenge the riders, including the two marathon stages, both set for the second week after the rest day in Chile.

Last year’s Dakar Rally, which which took riders 5427 miles in 13 stages through Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, was won by Red Bull KTM’s Marc Coma. This was Coma’s fourth Dakar title, and he took the overall victory after winning only three stages.

All together, 196 motorcycles began the 2014 Dakar Rally – rightly dubbed the world’s toughest rally – and only 78 finished.

The 2014 Dakar Rally also claimed three lives. During stage six, Belgium rider Eric Palante (Honda, 50-years old) was found dead. Two Argentina reporters also died when a car rolled on them in a ravine – 20-year-old Agustin Mina and 51-year-old Daniel Ambrosio.

2015 Dakar Rally Schedule (courtesy of Team HRC):

STAGE	DAY	FROM – TO	TOTAL KM	SPECIAL	LIAISON
Stage 1	4 January	Buenos Aires – Villa Carlos Paz	838	175	663
Stage 2	5 January	Villa Carlos Paz – San Juan	625	518	107
Stage 3	6 January	San Juan – Chilecito	657	220	437
Stage 4	7 January	Chilecito – Copiapó	909	315	594
Stage 5	8 January	Copiapó – Antofagasta	697	458	239
Stage 6	9 January	Antofagasta – Iquique	688	319	369
Rest day	10 January	Iquique
Stage 7	11 January	Iquique – Uyuni (*)	717	321	396
Stage 8	12 January	Uyuni – Iquique	805	781	24
Stage 9	13 January	Iquique – Calama	539	451	88
Stage 10	14 January	Calama – Salta (*)	891	371	520
Stage 11	15 January	Salta – Termas Río Hondo	512	351	161
Stage 12	16 January	Termas Río Hondo – Rosario	1024	298	726
Stage 13	17 January	Rosario – Buenos Aires	393	174	219