On completion of the first 5 stages that have brought the riders, drivers and crews to Arequipa, there are still 247 vehicles left in the race on the 41st edition of the Dakar (105 bikes, 18 quads, 93 cars, including 24 SxS, and 32 trucks), which is the lowest number of participants left at the mid-way point since 2007 (74%).
The ingredients for the first part of the marathon stage set the tone of the challenge.
The riders and drivers of the Dakar will have fully deserved their rest day, on completion of the 5th stage, which was made up of the longest and most varied timed sections on the rally.
Arequipa, the second most populous city in Peru, lies at the foot of the Misti volcano and, although today's special took place somewhere else, the Dakar saw an eruption turn the various classifications on their heads.
