Dakar Rally (2007) Final Results

The Dakar Rally finished in the capital of Senegal on Sunday. The last week of the race saw yet another death. Eric Aubijoux, a motorcyclist from France, died of heart failure in the 14th stage of the race. Motorcyclist Marc Coma was almost guaranteed a win with his huge lead when he crashed on the second to last day leaving Cyril Despres from France to win the race. Stephan Peterhansel, a legend in the Dakar rally, won the race in the car category for the 3rd time (he's won 6 times on a motorbike). This made up for last year's disappointment when he collided with a tree in the 12th stage of the race. This year he achieved success without actually winning a single stage of the rally. Easy does it in this dangerous race.

Below are the results of this year's Dakar Rally. No course records can be set or made since it varies every year, but needless to say the stages get tougher and faster every time.

Winners of the 2007 Dakar Rally

• Cars:
  1. S Peterhansel (France) Mitsubishi 45 hours 53 minutes 47 seconds
  2. Alphand (France) Mitsubishi 46 hours 01 minutes and 3 seconds
  3. Schlesser (France) Schlesser-Ford 47 hours 27 minutes and 34 seconds
  

• Motorbikes:
  1. C Despres (France) KTM 51 hours 36 minutes and 53 seconds
  2. Casteau (France) KTM 52 hours 11 minutes and 12 seconds
  3. Blais (USA) KTM 52 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds
  

• Trucks:
  1. Stacy (Holland) MAN 54 hours 3 minutes and 5 seconds
  2. Mardeev (Russia) KAMAZ 57 hours 13 minutes and 57 seconds
  3. Loprais (Czech Republic) TATRA 58 hours 48 minutes and 35 seconds
  

For a complete list of results see the official Dakar Rally web site

So the Dakar Rally has been completed, but let's not forget the Plymouth-Banjul Rally. This is an alternative race set up by folks who were disappointed with the costs involved in entering the Dakar Rally. They decided to race a similar route during the same time as the Dakar Rally but the cars competing cannot be worth more than $200. The money raised by contestants is spent on local charities in the countries the race goes through. This year a London taxi cab made the journey as did a 1992 Opel Omega.