Flash-back: Route 2006

Download the mapThe launch date for the world’s first Transafricaine Classic is quickly approaching.

In early November, nearly 100 eager competitors will hit the road together in Paris headed for Dakar.
During their 20 day rally, they will cover miles of scenic terrain - carefully pacing each section.

Just 5 months from the start of the rally, we’re letting you in on the secrets of the thrilling route that lies ahead.

Start on 1st november 2006

EUROPA

Well-versed in the history of the initial Paris-Dakar races and the fabulous itineraries followed back in the early days, Patrick Zaniroli has routed this exciting new adventure through many key spots where the “good ‘ole boys” will relive unforgettable moments from the past, and the new-comers are sure to create their own magical memories for the future. Well-versed in the history of the initial Paris-Dakar races and the fabulous itineraries followed back in the early days, Patrick Zaniroli has routed this exciting new adventure through many key spots where the “good ‘ole boys” will relive unforgettable moments from the past, and the new-comers are sure to create their own magical memories for the future.

The big event will begin on November 1st and 2nd with the technical checks which will be held just outside Paris. Regretfully, we can no longer perform the checks right at the famous Trocadero due to the local mayor’s ecological concerns. However, we will indeed make a symbolic pass through the legendary starting point before we leave the French capital, heading south along the route d’Orléans for the first leg of our rally.

On November 3rd, the Olivet military field, which hosted the first “specials” of the Paris-Dakar races back in the 80s, will be the site for a 15-K warm-up exercise. This location offers a great, woodsy area which is likely to be rather slick at that time of year. After this prelude, the competitors will have to cover some 640 km to reach the south of France along the N20 highway where we’ll stop for the night in Narbonne, a town where the locals have always offered us a hearty welcomenl]

On November 4th, we will initiate the second regularity test spanning 20 kilometres along the routes of Narbonne, followed by the longest connecting leg in the entire Transafricaine. We will need to drive 810 km along the actual motorway, crossing through Spain to Alicante..

On November 5th, another 20-K regularity run will be held, this time in the lovely setting of this Spanish seaport. We’ll close out the day heading for Algesiras, where ferries will take us all, with our vehicles, to Morocco where we’ll rest up for the night in Tangier, the site of our first bivouac.

AFRICA

Monday, November 6: TANGIER/ER RACHIDIA

Liaison : 334 km – Regularity Test: 34 km – Liaison : 234 km

You might say the serious business starts here. After the 220 km of connecting route, the first real regularity competition, 120 km in all, will follow a totally original route, never before used in any rally to date. It has been laid out along the winding plateaus of the Atlas Mountains in the heart of the Lebanese cedar forests right under the cliffs and overhangs – which, at that time of year, will most likely be covered in glistening snow. Breath-taking views on the horizon! Then, another black-top route will bring us to our over-night rest stop in Er Rachidia, la Porte du Grand Sud.

Tuesday, November 7: ER RACHIDIA/ZAGORA

Liaison : 70 km - Regularity Test: 280 km – Liaison : 5 km
At last, the teams will be able to enjoy riding out a longer regularity trial than the connecting routes. This time, the teams will have to pace their speed over a considerable distance: the 280 km between Er Rachidia and Zagora. And they’ll get their first taste of the real challenges of navigating along a tough course before facing the sandy trails Erg de Merzouga. This is where we’ll start to see significant time differences among the teams! The challenging route, with some rather quick parts and other somewhat rocky areas, is likely to take a toll on the mechanics so a word to the wise: watch out for your ride!

Wednesday, November 8: ZAGORA/GOULIMINE

Liaison : 0 km – Regularity Test: 330 – Liaison : 285 km

Right from the get-go, as they leave the Zagora bivouac, the teams will face off in a 330 km regularity race down the fast, zigzagging route that runs along the border between Morocco and Algeria. The novices will quickly learn the ropes of desert driving here as the rolling paths falsely boost your confidence just before they drop off into deep grooves and other surprising traps – all the way to Tata, where the predictability of pavement takes over for the connecting leg to Goulimine.

Thursday, November 9: GOULIMINE/SMARA

Liaison : 200 km - Resuglarity Test: 218 km - Liaison : 30 km
This final leg on Moroccan soil offers new kinds of challenges. After the final paved connecting leg before we reach Senegal, caution is a must! The 218 km of the regularity sector will prove much more rocky and sinuous, winding along through the hills. The drivers’ skills and experience will play a key role in the results here, where the set average speed will be much more difficult to maintain.

Friday November 10: SMARA / ZOUERAT

Liaison 10 km – Regularity Test: 500 km – Liaison 10 km

The Transafricaine now enters Mauritania. Say good-bye to the connecting legs. Here comes the real, wide open desert where the horizon is your only guide. The first 100 kilometres are rather snake-like. Then, after we cross the border, the landscape spreads out into the vast expanses of sandy desert.
This will be the longest legs of our adventure, but it should be rather quick – at least for those who don’t get lost! Here’s where the real test for the co-pilot’s navigational skills will come into play, surrounded by 180° of empty sand. What’s more, there will be not one, but many trails across the sand from which to choose – baffling those who lack experience!

Saturday November 11: ZOUERAT / CHINGUETTI

Liaison : 0 km - Regularity test: 485m

In terms of scenery, this will, no doubt, be the most spectacular part of the trek. The course begins along the sandy trail to Erg de Tourine, where you’ll need to find the right route to avoid having to cross through it, especially for those with only two-wheel-drive. The pace will then hasten until we reach an abandoned village where the final 65 km of the trail will entail trying to keep your set pace across totally “off-road” terrain – tackling sandy dunes, rocks and camel grass, each team making their own tracks. From the village of Choum, the majestic landscapes of the Adrar hills will take the lead. The road to Chinguetti is smooth and wide, so you can enjoy the generous visual feast. Rosy dunes will greet us as we arrive at our most lovely camp.

Sunday November 12: DAY OFF TO REST UP & REVIVE

Chinguetti, is above all a legendary place. Our bivouac will be set up right in the middle of the coppery, rose-tinted dunes that line this exotic wadi whose name has become synonymous with this age-old rest-stop. Before quietly fading into ancient history, this city was a major trans-Saharan trading point. It is sure to live up to its famous tradition as a fascinating and hospitable site for our 24-hour respite.
Technical checks and mechanical tune-ups will certainly be on the agenda for many. But this will also offer the drivers and their co-pilots a much-needed break in the action.

]Monday NOvember 13: CHUINGUETTI / TIDJIKJA

Liaison : 0 km - Regularity Test: 365 km - Liaison : 5 km
Once everyone is refreshed and rearing to go, we’ll hit the road again with a whopping 365 km regularity sector. The trail will include a wild mix of swirling sand, tight turns and fast tracks as well. But beware of the traps and tricks as you navigate through the deep, dangerous Saharan sand! The final 100 km will gently guide you through the winding wadi slipped in among the black and red cliffs at the tail end of the Adrar foothills, dappled with oases and precious villages. The Tagant region’s incomparable beauty is guaranteed to take your breath away.

Tuesday, November 14: TIDJIKJA / KIFFA

Liaison : 80 km – Regularity Test: 320 km – Liaison : 5 km
Yet another gorgeous series of vistas along the road to Kiffa, with a variety of different types of challenges and pleasures as the teams carefully gauge their consistency during the 300+ km of this regularity circuit. At first, the path is convoluted, forcing the drivers and their co-pilots to keep their eyes on the road and their skills tip top. Next, the route will take us to the cliffs’ edge where we’ll alternate between mastering the shifting sand and manoeuvring the intricate before we reach the famous Nega Pass. The final 100 kilometres will certainly be the fasted recorded – but won’t be easy! Local truckers coming through leave deep ruts that litter the passage with awkward terrain which never quite suits traditional 4x4s.

Wednesday, November 15: KIFFA / NIORO

Liaison : 25 – Regularity Test: 340 – Liaison : 5 km

The scenery and the rhythm shift once again. Heading for Nioro, in Mali, the desert will now give way to the great Sahel. Transafricaine participants will have to make their way through grasslands and thorny savannah country where everything seems to look the same and the paths, but one vehicle wide, meander in all directions with very few and easily missed natural landmarks along the way – definitely the toughest part of the trip in terms of navigation! When we cross the border into what we call “black” Africa, we’ll begin to see the first little hut villages and caution will become a priority – for everyone’s safety and security. The plant life will gradually thicken as the classic baobabs appear along our way.

Thursday, November 16: NIORO / KAYES

Liaison : 0 km – PRegularity Test: 250 km – Liaison :115 km

For the next phase of our journey, the new twist in things will come from an organisational perspective. As we forge ahead toward Kayes, instead of just one regularity leg, we’ll now have two – separated by just a few dozen miles of paved road! Vibrant green hues will replace the desert’s burnt yellow tones. The brush country and grasslands will become dense with life, especially since we’ll be passing through just after the rainy season. This will call for a totally different approach to driving. The teams will have to adjust to the lone, laterite routes, littered with traps, like the mess kits left behind by Mali trucks passing through during the winter months.

Friday, November 17: KAYES / TAMBACOUNDA

Liaison : 165 km – Regularity Test: 190 km – Liaison : 5 km
As we near the finish line, the rally’s caravan will leave Mali and enter Senegal via a 165 km connecting route, but the regularity trials are not over yet! The teams will still have to pace themselves along a 190-km regularity test before reaching Tambacounda. The narrow course will coil its way through the tropical rainforest, taking us along slippery laterite lands where it will be particularly difficult to maintain the set speed of 50 km/h, while still remaining cautious during the couple of crossings through towns along the way..

Saturday, November 18: TAMBACOUNDA / DAKAR

Liaison : 50 km – Regularity Test: 100 km – Liaison : 350 km

After the hard road, the relaxing beaches… but only for those who’ve earned it! This final day will start bright and early with an 80 km regularity course. The narrow, rambling route will lead directly into a 350 km connection to the silvery beaches located in the fishing town of Kayar. At precisely 1pm, the vehicles, all side by side, like in the old days, will set out for a 20-K race along the beach. The finish line will be set up at Rose Lake and immediately followed by the Podium ceremony when we’ll duly reward the winners.

The awards ceremony for this good ‘ole fashioned adventure will be held the following day, on Sunday, November 19th at high noon in the gardens of the Dakar Méridien hotel.

With special thanks to “Tout Terrain Magazine” for their generous support

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