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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1547449
2027 Dakar Rally Route Confirmed A fter organizers announced that the 2027 Dakar Rally would not be held in Saudi Ara- bia, the ASO confirmed that the event will relocate to Europe and Africa in 2027 before returning to Saudi Arabia for the 50th edition of the race in 2028. The 49th run- ning of the Dakar will kick off the 2027 season of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and will take place from January 9 to January 23. The route consists of a prologue followed by 12 stages from Loule-Faro in Portugal to Marrakech in Morocco. The 30,000-seat Algarve Stadium in the southernmost district of Portugal will host the prologue and the first special stage, while the other 11 stages are set to take place in Morocco. Stage one includes a transfer to the port of Nador, Morocco, with the Mediterranean crossing tak- ing place overnight. Over 350 entries have already been confirmed for this year's race, which features a 4861.6- mile route, with 2697 of those miles (57 percent) as special stages. Six different bivouacs will host racers along this year's race, with most stages ranging from 220 to 310 miles. "The relocated 49th edition of the Dakar will meet the sporting standards that have always made it the most demanding rally-raid event," said Dakar director David Castera. "Despite the short time- frame we have had to work with, we have designed a true Dakar. The ACP (Automovel Club de Por- tugal) is supporting us in Portu- gal, having established its round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship as a cornerstone of the season since 2024. And in Morocco, our expertise across the entire territory, combined with the operational capabilities of our internal teams, allows us to go far beyond the formats previously offered in the country: competi- tors will discover the Kingdom from one end to the other. We will explore all its distinctive features through a route of unprecedented scale." CN WIND IN THE P46 The 2027 Dakar Rally route has been confirmed for Portugal and Morocco.