Rally Raid
Check out the challenging route for Dakar 2020
The 2020 Dakar gets underway on January 5 with hundreds of the world’s best drivers, navigators and riders tackling a race like no other. The route has been released and here’s what’s in store.
Pushing the limits of what’s possible for man and machine, no rally is ever easy, but the Dakar introduces an entirely new challenge. This year the race heads to Saudi Arabia, offering up 12 days of incredibly intense action across the desert, with a single rest day in the middle.
Competitors will tackle a route that stretches over 7,500km, including three super-tough stages that are longer than 750km. Unsurprisingly, considering this year’s event is staged in Saudi Arabia, around 75 percent of the rally will take place on sand.
Get up to speed on all things Dakar first:
4 min
What is Dakar?
Dakar's 42nd run will be in Saudi Arabia. Take a look at key moments in the history of the race so far.
So what’s actually in store when the wheels start spinning in January?
Stage 1 – January 5
The 2020 Dakar starts off in Jeddah, covering a total of 752km, with the competitors finishing the day in Al Wajh. Special stages, from which overall classifications are created, make up 319km of the opening day’s racing.
Stage 2 – January 6
The racing continues on from Al Wajh to Neom, with competitors enjoying a shorter day at 401km overall. Those expecting the racing to be any less furious will be in for a shock, however, as special stages account for a full 367km of the route.
Stage 3 – January 7
Stage three will see competitors start and finish the day in Neom, but they’ll still be covering a challenging 489km overall, with 404km marked as special.
Stage 4 – January 8
Leaving Neom, the race heads to Al-`Ula, some 676km away. It’s another challenging day when it comes to the overall classification, with a huge 453km marked as special.
The route competitors will be taking in January
© ASO
Stage 5 – January 9
Stage five sees competitors race between Al-`Ula and Ha'il, covering a total distance of 563km. 353km of that is special, giving racers a slightly easier – or at least shorter – day when it comes to overall timings.
Stage 6 – January 10
The race then continues to Riyadh in one of the longest stages of the 2020 Dakar, with over 478km marked as special and a huge 830km travelled in total.
Rest day – January 11
After such a monster stage, competitors and teams alike will be glad of the rest day, with the rally staying in Riyadh for some much-needed repair and recovery.
Stage 7 – January 12
Stage 7 sees the teams back on the road again, this time heading from Riyadh to Wadi Al Dawasir. It’s 741km in total, with a tough 546km of special stages.
Stage 8 – January 13
Competitors will spend all of the eighth stage in Wadi Al Dawasir, although they'll be competing for time across 474km of special stages and traveling a tough 713km in total.
Stage 9 – January 14
We’re well past the halfway point and heading into the closing stages come January 14, where drivers and riders will be heading from Wadi Al Dawasir to Haradh. It’s the longest stage of the race, at 891km, with competitors battling for time over 415km.
Stage 10 – January 15
Things don’t get any easier the next day, with a route from Haradh to Shubaytah that includes 534km of special stages and 608km in total.
Stage 11 – January 16
The penultimate day’s action also includes the final super-long stage, at 744km, from Shubaytah to Haradh. Competitors will battle for time over 379km of special stages.
Stage 12 – January 17
From Haradh, the rally heads onto the home straight, with a relatively modest 447km, and 374km of special stages, to the finish in Qiddiya.
