According to the director of the rally, David Castera, this 48-hour stage aims to prevent competitors from benefiting from the tracks left by others, making navigation more complex.
On the fifth day, the competitors of the “toughest rally in the world” will finally leave Bisha to enter marathon stages, with routes that will not only challenge test physical endurance, but also the strategy of each team. The third stage, which will take competitors from Bisha to Al Henakiyah, will be one of the longest of the rally, with 496 kilometers of special, followed by stages that will continue to challenge participants with routes over dunes, stones and sandy areas.
Bikes and cars will share the same routes on most stages, but there will be at least five days where the paths will be divided. The marathon stage between Al Ula and Ha’il, for example, will be key in this sense, since the logistics will be different for each category, and the drivers will have to face great challenges without being able to count on the help of their rivals. other categories.
On January 10, after a week of competition, the traditional rest day will finally arrive so that competitors can recover before facing the final stages, which include some of the toughest, such as the 606 kilometer stage from Ha’il to Al Duwadimi. Afterwards, the routes will continue to separate, adding even more complexity to the competition.
The arrival at the Empty Quarter, one of the most desolate and difficult to navigate areas, will be key in the pilots’ aspirations, as there the gigantic dunes and sandy terrain will test the resistance of the participants. The rally will conclude on January 17 in Shubaytah, with a final 62-kilometer stage that, although short, will be no less challenging. Maintaining calm, strategy and courage until the last kilometer will be decisive for the participants.
Vélez will drive a Can Am Maverick