Desafío Inca: endless dunes

The reconnaissance put the last touches to the road book of the upcoming Desafío Inca (September 11–14, 2014), with a course celebrating rally raids, Peruvian style. The long strings of dunes of the Ica Desert will be a decisive test for drivers and riders in the run-up to the 2015 Dakar.

The Peruvian desert has built itself a certain reputation among those who took part in the 2012 and 2013 Dakars, as well as the inaugural edition of the Desafío Inca. Its stature will continue to grow and gain respect in the second edition, which will once again put motorcycle riders and car drivers' dune-crossing skills to the test.

Having checked out the courses of the three loop stages on the race programme, sports manager Juan Valdivia confirmed that the Peruvian leg of the Dakar Series will pack more sand than any other: "Peru's endless dunes allow us to revamp the route of the Desafío Inca and set the drivers and riders who come here in September a real challenge.

Of course, we'll take them to the famous giant dunes in Ica, where navigational mistakes can cost them lots of time before they find their bearings again. They will need to put all their technical skills and tricks to work to surf the fofas, an especially fine and light type of sand which tends to give way under their wheels."

The reconnaissance team has kept the loop geometry of the stages, but it has also introduced more varied terrains than in the 2013 edition. Competitors will therefore have to prove their worth to tackle the ríos and other surprises on the programme. Once reconnaissance was complete, the route details were sent to agents from the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of the Environment attended the reconnaissance so they can protect high-value archaeological and natural sites.

DAKAR