Dakar 2006: Route/Night stops/Dates

[chris]

As we know this year's Dakar starts in Lisbon on 01Jan06. I've searched far and wide on the internet, but can't find precise dates of night stops/routes for the race. I'll be in Morocco from 20Dec to 06Jan and would like to follow the section through Morocco a little closer.

Links like this
http://www.dakar.com/2006/presentati...alendrier.html
are very vague.

Are there any URLs of websites with exact locations/routes you could give me?

Cheers
ChrisB

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TheBrightStuffDotCom

[greynomads]

Hi Chris,
I think you will find that the precise route hasn't been finalised yet and, in any case, I don't think that details are released until Nov/Dec to prevent recces, etc by competitors!

[Detourer]

2006 aside, does anyone know where to find detailed i.e. GPS/Waypoints route (Morocco) for previous events ?

[Sam Rutherford]

Are they called 'competitors'??!!

Secondly, gps points are not exactly necessary (for 98% of the way it's a single tarmac road, and for the rest I think you just follow everyone else's tyre tracks). In fact there is only about 9kms of piste left unless you try and find the beach road.

Sam.

[budapestbamako]

The Dakar people don't know the exact route yet either.
They're doing recon work in Mauritania right now. They're writing the racebook. It should be done in 2-4 weeks.

[greynomads]

According to the Dakar website, the final route is expected to be presented on 22 November.

[Tim Cullis]

I'm thinking of following some of the rally and trying to get more info. What I've deduced so far is:

Sat 31 overnight Portimao
Sun 1 Portimao via Tanger (?) to ??
Mon 2 overnight Morocco
Tue 3 overnight Morocco
Wed 4 overnight Morocco
Thu 5
Fri 6 overnight Mauritania
Sat 7 to Nouakchott
Sun 8 rest day Nouakchott
Mon 9 Nouakchott to
Tue 10
Wed 11 overnight in Mali
Thu 12
Fri 13 overnight in Senegal
Sat 14
Sun 15 arrival in Dakar

Tim

[This message has been edited by Zmeagol (edited 20 October 2005).]

[AndySabb]

Hiya man,

At some time we will pass each other. We will be going across on the ferry by the 6th of January to Morocco. I think the aim is to hit Dakhla by the 12th of Jan. We have a target to be in Gambia by the 24th. So 22 days from Bolougne to Banjul.

I reckon we are allowing enough time.

Andy

You can mail me on my hotmail account:

lowry56"at"hotmail.com

Take out the "at" and replace with @

[rui_cruz]

Hello all,

It's my first post in this forum, I just registered.

I'm writing from Portugal and right now there isn't too much info about the route the Dakar 2006 will take.

As soon I hear something I'll let you guys know. Still, maybe I'll go to Morocco in new year's eve - well, at least I'm thinking about it.

[Enrique]

More details about Dakar 2006 route will be shown at Nov 22nd in the official website (as you said before).

Until there, in Spain there are some rumours, like:

- The entrance in Morocco will be in Nador, leaving from Malaga in Spain
- Stages in Morocco will be similar to the 2001 edition.
- There is a ‘probably’ calendar with these dates
Jan 2nd: arriving Er-Rachidia
Jan 3rd: Stage Merzouga-Ouarzazate
Jan 4th: departure from Ouarzazate…

For the moment it’s only a rumour. Any case, I will be there.

See you
Enrique


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[chris]

Enrique
Cheers for the update. These dates would fit in well with my plans. I need to be on a flight out of Malaga (leaving bike in Gibraltar) on 7th Jan. If we're in the same area, possibly we can meet for a drink. My email is in my profile (icon above).
Cheers
ChrisB

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TheBrightStuffDotCom

[mqevans]

I am running a large (British) team on Dakar this year. The postings on the route are as accurate as they get (though the route is supposed to enter Senegal from the South this year).
Far more detail is expected on the 22nd.
If anyone wants a little help on the route, from an entered team, feel free to keep in touch via the website (www.goraid.com)
Hopefully this years rally 'caravan' will not be as ignorant as previous - but I doubt it...

[Tim Cullis]

It looks like I have leave of absence for this, so hope to see some of the rally and then spend time in Morocco. Hopefully will meet some of you. I'll have a large Union Flag with me to cheer on all the UK entrants.

Presumably the overnight bivouacs need to be at an airfield which rather limits the possible locations. Enrique's proposed route sounds interesting.

Tim

[chris]

The route is now up on the Dakar site.

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TheBrightStuffDotCom

[HogWild]

Satellite photos of each bivouac location are linked here:
HogWildRacing.com

The GPS coordinates are embedded in the URL links to the satellite photos.

See you out there!