2006 Dakar Rally

The 2006 Dakar Rally, also known as the 2006 Paris-Dakar Rally, was the 28th running of the Dakar Rally event. The 2006 event ran from 31 December 2005 to 15 January 2006. It started from Lisbon, Portugal, and passed through Spain, Morocco, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, before finishing in Senegal. The format included speed restrictions on motorcycles and trucks and reduced use of global positioning systems. Competitors included double world rally champion, Carlos Sainz.

Notes:

Australian motorcyclist Andy Caldecott died in an accident during ninth stage. The tenth stage was not timed as a mark of respect for Caldecott. Spanish rider Marc Coma on KTM won the motorcycle category, second was French rider Cyril Despres and third Italian rider Giovanni Sala (both on KTM).

Notes:

Sainz riding VW Race Touareg won the first stage from Lisbon to Portimão, and also the second stage.Jean-Louis Schlesser, winner of the event in 1999 and 2000, riding Schlesser-Ford Buggy, won the third stage between Nador to Er Rachidia in Morocco, with Nani Roma on Mitsubishi Pajero Evo taking the overall lead. Sainz won the fourth stage and took the overall lead.Stephane Peterhansel, winner in 2004 and 2005, won the fifth stage while Sainz held on to the overall lead.Giniel de Villiers moved into the lead, 22 seconds ahead of Sainz, after the sixth stage from Tan Tan to Zouerat, which was won by Thierry Magnaldi.Stephane Peterhansel won the seventh stage between Zouerat and Atar in Mauritania but Luc Alphand, who took second place, moved into the overall lead.Stephane Peterhansel moved into the lead after finishing third in the eighth stage, which was won by Thierry Magnaldi.

...
Wikipedia