The 43rd edition of the Dakar Rally has just kicked off in Saudi Arabia. We’ll be sharing daily updates from our friends at WESTx1000. Stay tuned. 
Begin Press Release: 

Prologue & Podium: 2020 Was One for the History Books
With the World in Lockdown for Nearly a Year, This Prologue Could Mark the Beginning of the End

With the event sanitized and hermetically sealed, teams set off for their first challenge (in a vehicle at least) to find their starting order and kick off a second year in Saudi Arabia. After several idle days in quarantine, at least two [read: five] PCR tests and a mad rush to prime their vessels and state of mind, the bikes, cars, quads and camas headed 118 kilometers out from Jeddah to outer space for Special Stage Zero. The landscape surrounding Saudi?s most progressive city is a mix between the highlands of California and the moon. Barren and greyish brown with small, rolling sandhills crawling over each other creating berms and sharp ledges that welcomed competitors with open arms and a devious smile. We don’t envy those who had to run the course when the sun was at its highest, and brightest. The glimmer removes a desired contrast to detect upcoming dangers. However, this is familiar territory for the veterans. It’s just one of the many challenges which the seasoned athletes barely notice and the novice can find unhinging. Now legendary 2020 Dakar Champion Ricky Brabec (#1, Monster Energy Honda) likens these southern desert l...