26 December - The First Dakar

[Octoberon]

Competitors in what’s now known as the Dakar Rally set off for the first time in 1978. Thierry Sabine was inspired to create the event after he got lost on his motorcycle in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice rally in 1977.

182 competitors (80 cars, 90 motorcycles and 12 trucks) departed the Place du Trocadéro to embark upon a 10,000 kilometre journey to the Senegalese capital of Dakar via Algeria, Niger, Mali and Upper Volta.

The first event was called the Paris–Alger–Dakar Rally. There were no classes, just one overall winner. The rally was won by Cyril Neveu on a Yamaha XT500. Alain Génestier’s Range Rover was the best of the cars in fourth.

Just 74 vehicles made it to the banks of Rose Lake in Dakar.

Race Stages

Prologue: Monthléry (3.6 km) and 1st stage: Paris – Alger
2nd stage: Algiers – Tamanrasset (2370 km, including 270 km special)
3rd stage: Tamanrasset – Agadez (870 km)
4th stage: Agadez – Niamey (920 km, including 230 km special)
5th stage: Niamey – Gao (448 km, neutralised, becoming a rest day )
7th stage: Bamako – Nioro (417-km special)
8th stage: Nioro – Dakar (866 km)
Last special: Bakel-Dakar (96 km).

[Hubaxe]

I was a great fan of the Paris-Dakar as a kid. Followed the race on a map, etc.
My father was in the army and had friends in the motorcyclist of gendarmerie.
2 of them (Jean-Daniel Duchaussoy and Ali El Abdi) ran several Dakar. JD on a motorcycle in 1984 and both later with 4X4. One year (I think it’s 1985 or 87, can’t remind), my father arranged a surprise, and his friends came home shortly before the race with a Toyota fully loaded.