Drivers and riders face war of attrition when marathon event races off

BUENOS AIRES: The Dakar Rally has come a long way in the three decades which have elapsed since its inception in 1978 - though few would have forecast its current incarnation which gets underway on Friday would have seen the race transmutate into a journey across a large chunk of South America.

Yet last year's trans-Atlantic switch proved successful enough to persuade organizers of the merits of a return to latino climes and the competitors will be going after South African Giniel de Villiers and Spaniard Marc Coma's titles in the car and motorcycle sections respectively.