Dakar Rally 2019 Review

Peru: the only country on Dakar 2019's route

As you're well aware, at Vintage Rides, we love anything related to two-wheeled adventures and the buzz that goes with them. As motorbike aficionados, we watch the Dakar Rally every year. This 2019 edition holds a special place for us because it was hosted by our newest destination! What's more, to our delight, we spotted some familiar locations that are part of our motorcycle tours in Peru. Given that we were excited to rediscover this region from another angle, we're going to take you on a short tour of the Dakar 2019 route. You'll also notice that the 2019 edition has a specific category that would really thrill real adventurers, like you, our riders.

Dakar 2019 route

The 41st Dakar Rally was different to other editions, with some additions that you no doubt enjoyed. For the first time in its history, the whole route took place in just one country: Peru. Leaving Lima, the riders rode across sandy areas, which must have pleased those who reminisce about earlier editions. And rightly so, we shouldn't forget that the race was originally across the Sahara desert. Riders who have booked or who are going to book our "Inca Treasures in the High Andes" road trip would recognise some of the landscapes.

What was new this edition?

This year, the organisers have gone back to basics, the sandy route is proof enough of that. We were also glad the committee showed interest in boosting the adventure side of things by adding the Original by Motul category. We are sure that our Riders would have enjoyed this adventure race. For those of you who have never heard of this category, Original by Motul is a more open race format, which allows riders to compete in The Dakar without any kind of assistance. Replacing "Malles Motos", Original by Motul has its own set of rules and we really hope it will still be part of the 2020 edition. Would you like more information about the event? You can check out the official 2019 Dakar website.