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

SS6: There?s No Rest for the Wicked
A climactic End to a Most Memorable First Week Offers Teams Zero Comfort

Saudi Arabia is both everything and nothing you expected. Yes, the stretches of desolate wastelands and awe-inspiring dunes hold true. The insane driving, prayers over public loudspeaker, Bedouin camps on the side of the highways and the fairer sex hidden in plain sight? They?re what you got right (sort of) in your assumptions. But what you might have underestimated was, for one, the kindness and enthusiasm of the locals. The plentiful amount and variety of fruits, veggies, snacks and western comforts. The subtle diversity of landscapes and camels ? black, white and, yes, even camel-colored camels. As of today, the teams have traveled 4,571 kilometers ? over half the total distance of the race. Due to the sheer difficulties encountered on Stage Five, the organization showed mercy and delayed the departure for the final stage of the first half of Dakar. Subsequently, they cut the total length of the route by 100 kilometers hoping to reduce difficulty to a simmer. But that?s not giving them a hall pass to skip the dunes. Nor will the navigators sit back while drivers rely on well-worn tracks. This stage is still demanding, and there are certain expectations for those who want to finish in good ti...