PARIS: The 34th Dakar Rally, and the fifth version to be held in Latin America, features a largely Pacific coast route that begins on January 5, 2013, in the Peruvian capital of Lima and ends on January 20 in Santiago, Chile, race organizer Etienne Lavigne announced last week.

The mythical endurance race that originated in 1978 when it was run from Paris to Dakar, Senegal, will in this edition begin with 459 vehicles made up of cars, trucks, motorcycles and quads, and cover some 8,400 kilometers to the finish line in the capital of Chile. The route winds along the Pacific coast before two diversions into mainland Argentina and some rugged roads in the Andes mountains, featuring 14 stages across three countries.

Stephane Peterhansel will compete in this edition in the car category, to battle it out with rally drivers Nasser Al-Attiyah and Carlos Sainz, winners in 2011 and 2010, respectively.

The 50-year-old Sainz, who won the World Rally title in 1990 and 1992, is one of the main threats to Peterhansel and Al-Attiya, who retired from the race last year with a spate of mechanical problems but will be back on the start line in January.

“His return gives me great pleasure but also constitutes an enormous threat for me,” said Peterhansel, who is chasing an 11th victory (six in cars, four on motorcycles) and will drive a BMW Mini. “This 2013 edition that has a confrontation between three former winners will give an exciting look to the race for the fans and will be very nerve wracking.”

The motorcycle category will see the return of the Honda team, which has been absent since 1992, and is set to feature another intense rivalry between defending champion Cyril Despres and Marc Coma, who have shared the last seven titles and are the outright favorites.

No country drive
The course begins for the first time on the desert sands south of Lima before gradually becoming more difficult as it enters Argentine soil and a series of dangerous stages through valleys and canyons, which will seriously challenge the competitors in all categories.

“It is far from a country drive along the sea between Lima and Santiago and the difficult sections set up the race for a thrilling battle,” said Lavigne.

The 2012 edition began with 443 vehicles, which will now increase to 459, including 189 motorcycles, 155 cars, 75 trucks and 40 quads.