The adventure began in 1977. Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorcycle in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice rally. "Rescued from the sands", he returned to France defeated by the dreamlike landscapes. He then promised himself that he would share this discovery with as many as possible and lived for a single goal: take a maximum number of people into the immensity of this sand. This led him to imagine an extraordinary journey originating in Europe. The route would then continue to Algiers before crossing Agadez and ultimately leading to Dakar. The plan quickly became a reality.

The Paris-Dakar rally opened up an unknown world, one in which its creator, Thierry Sabine, was seen as a true pioneer. His motto then would be: "A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind." On 26 December 1978, the first Paris-Dakar took off from the Place du Trocadéro. That was over a quarter of a century ago...

In 2010 the race takes place in South America, the route, over 9,000ks in 14 days, starts and finishes in Buenos Aires - Argentina (The Land of Fire) and takes us through Chille - through the Atcama desert renound as the driest desert in the world and to the Mountains of the Andes.  This year the organisers have promised more dune crossings and a wider variety of technical terrain where the motorbikes will follow a different route to the cars and trucks.  The race starts on the 1st Jan and finishes on the 17th.  You will be able to track competitors on the official DAKAR website www.dakar.com and Eurosport do a daily catch up on the race.

So for those of you who don't know about the DAKAR.  Its not only a test of riding skill and endurance, it's a navigational rally where straying off the route can cost you hours and also a test of mechanical skills as during the 14 days of riding over 8.600km you are bound to come across mechanical challenges.  The Motorbike competitors also battle with the superfast cars and trucks which are not only dangerous but leave miles of dust which is impossible to ride in.

Those who have watched the DAKAR over the years will realise how dangerous it is and how it pushes people to breaking point.  It continues to hold the fascination of millions of people worldwide.  The South Americans have embraced it and 2010 promises to be as challenging as any other DAKAR.