2013 Dakar Official Schedule Announced, Video Trailer Available [Video]

With just two days before one of the world's toughest rally kicks off, here's the official announcement on the scheduled stages of this 5,239 mile (8432 km) race. The 2013 Dakar teams will start on Saturday, January 5 in Lima, Peru and will have no less than 14 stages in front of them, cars, trucks, ATVs and motorcycles.

With the recent announcement of KTM star rider Marc Coma unable to ride this year due to injuries he sustained in the Morocco Rally and incomplete recovery, the 4-time winner Cyril Despres seems to be the favorite. However, the Dakar rallies have provided us with nice battles more than once, and Honda's Helder Rodrigues and Kurt Caselli (replacing Coma) are tough competitors, too.

So here are the 2013 Dakar 14 stages:

1. Jan. 5 - Stage 1: Lima (Peru) - Pisco - total distance 263 km: 250 km liaison and 13 km special (shortest stage in the 2013 edition)
2. Jan 6 - Stage 2: Pisco - Pisco (loop) total distance 327 km: 85 km liaison; 242 km special
3. Jan 7 - Stage 3: Pisco - Nazca - total distance 343 km: 100 km liaison; 243 km special
4. Jan 8 - Stage 4: Nazca - Arequipa - total distance 718 km: 429 km liaison; 289 special
5. Jan 9 - Stage 5: Arequipa - Arica - total distance 411 km: 275 km liaison; 136 km special
6. Jan 10- Stage 6: Arica - Calama - Total distance 767 km: 313 km liaison; 454 km special
7. Jan 11 - Stage 7: Calama - Salta (rally enters Argentina) - total distance 806 km: 586 km liaison; 220 km special
8. Jan 12 - Stage 8: Salta - Tucuman - total distance 738 km: 247 liaison; 491 km special
9. Jan 13: REST DAY in Tucuman, Argentina
10. Jan 14 - Stage 9: Tucuman - Cordoba - total distance 852 km: 259 km liaison; 593 km special (longest stage of the 2013 edition)
11. Jan 15 - Stage 10: Cordoba - La Rioja - total distance 636 km: 279 km liaison; 357 km special
12. Jan 16 - Stage 11: La Rioja - Fiambala - total distance 483 km: 262 km liaison; 221 km special
13. Jan 17 - Stage 12: Fiambala - Copiaco (rally enters Chile) - total distance 715 km: 396 km liaison; 319 km special
14. Jan 18 - Stage 13: Copiaco - La Serena - total distance 735 km: 294 km liaison; 441 km special
15. Jan 19 - Stage 14: La Serena - Santiago- total distance 630 km: 502 liaison; 128 km special.
16. Jan 20 -Closing ceremony Santiago.
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As for the more technical details:

Total route: 8432 km (5,239.4 miles)
Total timed specials: 4146 km (2,576 miles)
Longest distance in a single day: 852 km (Stage 9)
Shortest distance in a single day: 250 km (Stage 1)
Highest point of altitude: 4800 m
Average rainfall in the Atacama Desert (Chile): 0 mm.