The world's most dangerous sporting event.

EXTREME WEATHER The race experiences extreme heat much of the time, though it has been run through extremes of cold too. Sandstorms are a common problem for competitors and support crews.

LOCAL WARS On many occasions competitors have been fired upon by bandits, rebel factions, disoriented soldiers fighting in local wars and simply persons unknown.

LANDMINES Landmines have also taken a toll. In 1996 a vehicle hit an explosive device in Morocco killing the driver and injuring several others. In 2001, a Portuguese driver had his car blown to pieces and his right foot blown off.

GETTING LOST Dame Margaret Thatcher's son Mark was one of many people who have been lost during the running of the event.

TERRORISTS A few years ago, radical Islamic group Mokhtar Benmokhtar, a group with strong ties to al-Qaeda, threatened to attack participants in the rally. In December 2004, authorities in Mauritania (host of six stages of the 2005 rally) arrested a man with links to al Qaeda who was planning to attack Americans taking part in the 2005 Dakar Rally. The U.S. Embassy subsequently issued a bulletin to all Americans involved in the rally suggesting "special caution" and advised against the display of any American flags or symbols on their vehicles.

DESOLATION Given a vast desert and 400 competitors, it's very easy to crash and not be found for some time. Last year three-time Dakar Rally winner Richard Sainct died during the Rally of the Pharaohs in Egypt. There were no witnesses to the accident and riders who arrived on the scene some time after alerted organisers.

Historical precedents

The massive irony is that we many almost identical historical precedents, the first time almost exactly 100 years ago.

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