In the dusty expanse of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter, the largest continuous desert on earth, Dakar Rally enthusiasts encountered a new frontier – the 48-hour Chrono Stage. Episode Five of ‘In The Dust’ unfolds the gripping narrative of survival in the desert as Spanish Challenger category driver Cristina Gutiérrez Herrero and Austrian rookie biker Tobias Ebster recount their journey through this unprecedented Dakar challenge.
Leaving aside the lousy navigators out there who manage to stretch the course like a rubber band, covering more than 850 km in a Dakar stage is something that happens once in a blue moon. It has only happened once in Saudi Arabia, in today’s return to competition on the road from Riyadh to Al Duwadimi, clocking in at a whopping 874 km, following the prescribed route to the letter.
Relive some of the best moments during Week 1 of the Dakar 2024!
Riders, crews and pundits often end up eating a slice of humble pie when the race ventures into the desert. After six stages, but with a whole week of competition under their belts, the entrants often derided as “daredevils” have proved resilient to the vagaries of fate, while the usual paragons of consistency have made one uncharacteristic blunder after another.
Four years ago, Ricky Brabec won the Dakar while picking up two stage victories along the way. Could the American add a second trophy to his case this year by playing the quiet game again?
Not everyone is equally equipped to deal with the Empty Quarter. The programme for the second part of the 48 HR chrono stage was again sandy, but the portions of dunes could vary greatly in their dimensions
For its third episode, ‘In The Dust’ explores the distinctive dynamics of familial bonds amidst the unforgiving desert terrain with Argentine brothers and riders on rival teams, Kevin and Luciano Benavides. They discuss whether team orders supersede family ties, and offer insights on going for glory against a brother at the world’s most challenging rally.
The Dakar 2024 competitors enter the Empty Quarter for the 48 hours against the clock stage with biouvacs set up at various spots of the stage
Dunes galore were on the programme in the Empty Quarter, through which the competitors are passing during two days as part of a new stage format: 48 hours chrono. Over a special totalling 547 kilometres for the FIA crews and 625 km for the FIM riders, each competitor had to stop at 4 pm at one of the seven bivouacs dotted along the route.
Replicas of René Metge’s and Jacky Ickx’s Porsche 911s, Ari Vatanen’s 205 Peugeot and Jan De Rooy’s double-cab DAF truck all enjoy a new lease on life on the Dakar Classic.
