The rally to end all rallies

On January 14, 1977, Jean-Michel Sine, the organizer of the Abidjan to Nice Rally, found a solitary Thierry Sabine perched on a rock in the vast Libyan Sahara Desert, one of the most remote places on earth. Sabine, who was taking part in the rally, had become disoriented near the border that separates Niger from Libya, spending three days and two nights alone in the formidable Sahara. The young Frenchman had been unable to find his bearings; his only hope was that somebody would come across him in this desolate place. He also had had plenty of time to think about the things he would do once rescued. Whether Sabine knew then where this intimate meeting with the sands of the desert was to lead, and what influence he was about to have on the world, especially the world of motorsport, is pure speculation. Here, in the shadow of the massive Emi Fazzan Mountain, Sabine conceived a dream that would make history, an idea that would become the Paris-Dakar Rally. In his mind, Paris-Dakar would be the rally to end all rallies. He would turn the topography of Northern Africa into the adventure of a lifetime for anyone brave or crazy enough to attempt it. The brave and the crazy answered Sabine's call as if the rally he had envisioned was something they had been waiting for all their lives. A total of 170 entrants signed up for what was billed as the ultimate adventure; 90 of them were motorcyclists. The competitors who tackled the inaugural Paris-Dakar in 1979 faced adversity like nothing they had ever encountered. They spoke of civilizations so removed from modernity it was like stepping back hundreds of years in time. They recounted tales that ran the gamut of extremes and dangerous predicaments only a rally like the Dakar could produce. Less than half finished the rally. The Frenchman Cyril Neveu won the event aboard a Yamaha. Neveu, who would go on to victory four more times, received strong competition from a Honda-mounted Philippe Vassard. Vassard would try the rally again but never succeeded at winning it.

In France, the larger-than-life profile projected by the Paris-Dakar Rally became a sensation and a matter of national pride overnight. Although it would take time to capture the imagination of people worldwide, Paris-Dakar gradually became one of the most anticipated motorsport events of the year. Since 1979, it has attracted more than 3,000 adventurers from all walks of life. The men and women who have taken up the Dakar challenge have at least one thing in common: a desire to measure themselves against like-minded individuals and the desolate sands of the Sahara. The rally has attracted participants from the international community of motorsport luminaries, the lofty ranks of European nobility and celebrity, captains of industry and commerce and common everyday people. French rock crooner Johnny Hallyday, Princess Caroline of Monaco — daughter of the late Grace Kelly — and French World Cup Champion skier Luc Alphand, to name a few, have all participated. One celebrity who caused quite a stir in the Dakar was former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's son, Mark. The would-be rallyist got lost in the desert for several days while competing in the 1982 edition. He was eventually spotted by a search plane and rescued.

Over the years, Paris-Dakar created a new breed of hero, men and women who rank with the bravest of the brave. Figures like Hubert Auriol, Cyril Neveu, Rene Metge, JoJo Groine, Jan De Groot, Jacky Ickx, Jutta Kleinschmidt, Jean-Louis Schlesser, Fabrizio Meoni, Giovanni Sala, Cyril Déspres, Bruno Saby, Pierre Lartigue, Hiroshi Masuoka, Edi Orioli and Stephane Peterhansel have become household names after their participation in the Dakar.

The adventure and the human drama that unfolds during the first two to three weeks each January is both unimaginable and unparalleled. Although essentially a race, Paris-Dakar is much more than a competition to see who finishes first. While the thrill of victory is clear, the agony of defeat is much less defined — just finishing is itself a victory. For the lion's share of participants simply reaching Dakar is the goal. The non-finishers — often as many as half the entrants — add to the reputation Paris-Dakar holds as the world's toughest motorsport competition. Every participant leaves Africa with the story of a lifetime. In the final analysis even completing the challenge matters little. Each time a participant returns home from the desert the notoriety of the rally is further enhanced. The immensity of the Sahara grows larger; the distances become greater; the heat seems more unbearable; and the ruggedness of the terrain that much more difficult. Tales of danger, blinding sandstorms, endless vistas of dunes, incredible hardship, perseverance, tenacity, ingenuity, triumph and tragedy have greatly contributed to the aura and mystique of the rally.

Paris-Dakar takes no prisoners. Many participants have been severely injured and no less than thirty-four people have lost their lives. Only a few days into the Dakar's inaugural running the first death was recorded. Patrick Dodin succumbed to a fractured skull, after crashing near Agadez. Included on the list of fatalities are a number of unfortunate locals — it is a great sadness these individuals didn't make the bargain associated with the danger the fast-moving rally vehicles represent. Even Sabine would see his life cut short by the rally he created. Perhaps it was inevitable that the father of Paris-Dakar would come to a dramatic end. It is hard to imagine the passionate adventurer ending his days with his feet up in front of a television. In 1986, nine years to the day after he had been found in the desert by Jean-Michel Sine, Sabine perished in a helicopter crash during a blinding nighttime sandstorm in the Sahelian Desert near Gourma-Rharous. With Sabine was popular French singer Daniel Balavoine, who was on a humanitarian mission to oversee the installation of water pumps in Malien villages. The three other victims included French journalist Nathaly Odent, radio technician Jean-Paul Le Fur and the Swiss pilot, Francois-Xavier Bagnoud. The tragedy made international headlines and shocked everyone in the rally. Without its creator, the continuity of Paris-Dakar was in jeopardy. But the remaining organizers and participants grouped together and decided the event needed to continue. Everyone agreed it would have been what Thierry wanted. From that day forward the rally has persevered to overcome every hardship and obstacle.

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In its infancy, the Dakar evolved rapidly. Africa's strange customs and people drew the curiosity of many, and soon a burgeoning entry list and accompanying entourage saw more than a thousand...