DIFFLOCK.com - Dakar 2002 Route

The 2001 Dakar was pronounced by the great majority of it's participants to be one of the best, as much for the sporting difficulties encountered as for the countries crossed.

From the Atlas mountains to the great deserts via the oases, on Sahelian or laterite tracks, the route of the 2001 Dakar provided us with all of these. Without forgetting of course the crossing of France which is more than ever symbolic, allowing the spectators to approach and to encourage the men and women who make up the Dakar caravan.

So that the Adventure corresponds even more to the competitors' wishes, the organisation has decided to put the emphasis on a route which proposes qualities similar to those of the 2001 Dakar.

EUROPE

Arras, the capital of the Artois area, has been selected to hold the technical and administrative scrutineering on the 26th and 27th of December. After scrutineering, the vehicles will be placed in a parc ferme on the Grand Place until the 28th of December. The start of the 24 th edition of the Dakar will be given from here in the evening and numerous animations and festivities will follow throughout the night.

The competitors will then cross France, set up their first bivouac in Narbonne and run a special on the morning of the 30th of December in Chateau-Lastours, before arriving in Spain.

On the 30th of December they will cross Spain before arriving in Africa.

AFRICA

After a disembarkation in the North of Morocco, the caravan will move South with, as it's final destination, the banks of the Lac Rose in Dakar. In between time, the caravan will have had the pleasure of enjoying all types of terrain, with a pause amid the desert stretches of Mauritania and it's interminable dunes ; the Sahelian tracks of Mali should be included in the programme before the start of the final Senegalese part of the race with it's winding laterite tracks surrounded by a sometimes dense vegetation.

	STAGE 1 : ARRAS > CHATEAUROUX Friday 28th December 2001 Liaison : 465 km - Total : 465 km The start is given for the first time in the evening. The competitors leave the Parc Fermé, situated on the Grand Place, in the centre of Arras. The starting podium is set up at the Place des Héros. From 20h00 onwards the first of the bikes will set off in a Southwards direction, heading for Châteauroux for the first bivouac. The podium in Châteauroux is situated at the Belle-Isle Site. The stage, in the night, is a liaison.
	STAGE 2 : CHATEAUROUX > NARBONNE Saturday 29th December 2001 Liaison : 82 km + Spécial: 6 km + Liaison : 510 km - Total : 598 km Whilst the last of the competitors are still arriving in Châteauroux in the early hours of the morning, the first of the bikes prepare to set off for the second stage. A short special of 6 km is traced out in the Croisière Activity Parc, in La Souterraine. From there, the competitors move towards Narbonne, passing through Brive-la-Gaillarde where a Passage Control is organised.
	STAGE 3 : NARBONNE > MADRID Sunday 30th December 2001 Liaison : 25 km + Spécial: 35 km + Liaison : 870 km - Total : 930 km Start from the podium, situated in the town centre, opposite the theatre, at 8h00 for the first bikes. From there, competitors will arrive in Château-Lastours, for a special of 35 km, traced out over winding routes, between vines and scrub land. They continue with a long liaison stage until Madrid.
	STAGE 4 : MADRID > RABAT Monday 31st December 2001 Liaison : 5 km + Spécial: 6 km + Liaison : 950 km - Total : 961 km The special will take place near to the Spanish capital. At the end of this, the competitors continue on a long liaison stage which leads them right into the South of Spain. From there, they board the boat to Morocco. Another liaison stage for their arrival in Rabat, first stage town in Morocco. New Year’s Eve at the bivouac in Rabat.
	STAGE 5 : RABAT > ER RACHIDIA Tuesday 1st January 2002 Liaison : 10 km + Spécia : 80 km + Liaison : 444 km - Total : 534 km After a festive evening in Rabat, a must for New Year’s Eve (!), the competitors set off on a first special, short and original, which alternates between smooth running parts, rapid with navigating zones and more winding and sandy parts. It is essentially traced out in a forest area, amid cork trees, eucalyptus and pine trees.
	STAGE 6 : ER RACHIDIA > OUARZAZATE Wednesday 2nd January 2002 Liaison : 56 km + Spécial: 338 km + Liaison : 182 km - Total : 576 km The track, rapid, stony, at times “jumpy” then smoother leads the competitors towards the sandy and deserted zones of the South. We see the apparition of the first ‘dunes’ and the crossing of Ergs with, in particular, the mythical Chebbi Erg, in Merzouga, the highest dunes in Morocco. Further South, the special digs deeper into valleys which wind around the oueds, on large plateaus closed in between the mountains.
	STAGE 7 : OUARZAZATE > TAN TAN > ZOUERAT Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th of January 2002 Liaison : 176 km + Spécial: 351 km + Liaison : 266 km [break 6 heures] Liaison : 365 km + Spécial: 371 km + Liaison : 16 km - Total : 1 545 km First of the two “Marathon” stages! From Ouarzazate, the competitors set off on a liaison stage then continue on the first special which leads them to Tan-Tan. There, a compulsory “break” of 6 hours is organised before continuing the liaison. A new “break”, is respected (they can have something to eat)… then they set off on the second special of this “Marathon” stage (start, in Mauritania, in the early morning). The first third of the special is winding and sandy then becomes very rapid. As a whole, it remains relatively smooth running. * Parallel route for assistance vehicles, to Tan-Tan.
	STAGE 8 : ZOUERAT > ATAR Saturday 5th January 2002 Liaison : 9 km + Spécial: 383 km + Liaison : 4 km - Total : 396 km Last stage before the rest day. The special is relatively short, but is the first real Erg crossing stage. It is traced out off the tracks, in the middle of Erg “fields” which are closer and closer together… until the culminating point: the crossing of the Erg de El Beyyed. After this, the special becomes more smooth running, on sandy and “rapid” tracks.
	STAGE 9 : ATAR > ATAR Monday 7th January 2002 Liaison : 33 km + Spécial: 366 km + Liaison : 5 km - Total : 404 km Loop stage around Atar. After the first 100 kilometres traced out over existing tracks, the special is very varied and totally new. On the programme : the crossing of Ergs, passes to be found, lots of navigation, off track,… and a little camel grass! * Assistance vehicles remain at the bivouac.
	Sunday 6th January 2002 - Rest day in Atar
	STAGE 10 : ATAR > TIDJIKJA Tuesday 8th January 2002 Liaison : 33 km + Spécial: 467 km + Liaison : 2 km - Total : 502 km It is one of the hardest stages and one of the longest specials in the 2002 edition. The first 100 kilometres take place in a magnificent setting, in a canyon, along a Oued, with the sea of sand that touches the edge of the cliffs. The rest of the stage includes numerous navigating difficulties and lots of Erg crossing. It takes place off track in the middle of the dunes with trunks of camel grass. The stage finishes on winding but relatively rapid tracks up to Tidjikja. Be careful of fuel consumption.
	STAGE 11 : TIDJIKJA > TICHIT Wednesday 9th January 2002 Liaison : 18 km + Spécial: 520 km - Total : 538 km One of the most beautiful stages, very complete : stony tracks, crossings, off track, navigating, camel grass, i.e. a compressed version of all that can be found on a stage. A magnificent but hard stage which starts with a winding 100 km, over stony tracks, along the mountains. Then a change of direction and profile : the crossing, on the way down, of the Nega pass and of deserted zones, sandy up until Tichit.
	STAGE 12 : TICHIT > TICHIT Thursday 10th January 2002 Spécial: 450 km - Total : 450 km Second loop stage. The special is traced out like an Olympic sailing race, the CP’s replacing the buoys. It takes place to the North of Tichit. After 80 “known” kilometres, the 370 remaining km are totally new ! The emphasis is on navigating skills, the special taking place for the most part completely off track, in the dunes. * Assistance vehicles stay at the bivouac.
	STAGE 13 : TICHIT > KIFFA > DAKAR Friday 11th and Saturday 12th January 2002 Spécial: 457 km + Liaison : 4 km [break 6 heures] Liaison : 450 km + Spécial: 165 km + Liaison : 396 km - Total : 1 472 km Second Marathon stage. From Tichit, the competitors set off directly on the special up to Kiffa. There, a compulsory 6 hour “break” is organised before continuing on liaison, by night, up to Boutilimit. Another “break” is respected before attacking the second special. Liaison stage of 396 km with an arrival in Dakar. This second Marathon stage is long and difficult. As you get to the end, anything can still happen. The special between Tichit and Kiffa is traced out off track, in the middle of the big dunes. There are a few camel grass passages. The liaison between Kiffa and Boutilimit is traced out on tarmac. Be careful, there are 200 km in bad condition. The second special of the stage is a very beautiful driving special. The main difficulty is the presence of numerous parallel tracks : it’s not easy to find reliable bearings.
	STAGE 14 : DAKAR > DAKAR Sunday 13th January 2002 Liaison : 38 km + Spécial: 31 km - Total : 69 km Last loop stage around the Lac Rose. The competitors move up the beach in a Northerly direction before starting on the traditional tour of the Lac. After the finishing podium, the competitors arrive at the Méridien in Dakar in procession. Parc Fermé at the Méridien. Prize giving, in the evening, in the gardens of the Méridien.