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TOPSHOT - Peugeot's driver Stephane Peterhansel and his co-driver Jean Paul Cottret of France ride during the Stage 8 of the Dakar 2017 between Uyuni and Salta, Argentina, on January 10, 2017. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - Peugeot's driver Stephane Peterhansel and his co-driver Jean Paul Cottret of France ride during the Stage 8 of the Dakar 2017 between Uyuni and Salta, Argentina, on January 10, 2017. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)FRANCK FIFE/Getty Images

Dakar Rally 2018: Race Dates, Schedule, Live Stream and TV Info

Rory Marsden
Jan 4, 2018

The 40th edition of the Dakar Rally kicks off in Lima on Saturday, with the first of 14 stages running south from the Peruvian capital to Pisco on the country's south-west coast.

Thursday's sixth stage will see the move from Peru into Bolivia. On Jan. 15, the famed race enters Argentina, where it culminates in Cordoba five days later.

The 2018 Dakar Rally will be the final race involving Peugot, who are going for a third consecutive triumph in the cars category withย Stephane Peterhansel andย Jean-Paul Cottret.

Read on for full details of the upcoming race and a closer look at the route, along with scheduling and viewing information.

Race Dates:ย Jan. 6 until Jan. 20

Route:ย Fourteen stages between Lima, Peru, and Cordoba, Argentina. See the full route here.ย ย 

TV Info:ย Eurosport (UK), NBC Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream:ย Eurosport Playerย (U.K.),ย NBC Sports Appย (U.S.)

2018 marks the 10th consecutive year in which the Dakar Rally has been held in South America and the first time it has visited Peru since 2013.

Per Dakar, competitors will be faced with the daunting task of tackling Peru's desert dunes during the first six stages before the cross into Bolivia, where the rest day takes place in La Paz on Jan. 12.

Then the challenge changes, as the extreme altitude will become the racers' worst enemy. There are only three stages in Bolivia, but they have proved crucial in the past, as altitude can play havoc with fitness and mental strength.

The gruelling route covers 10,000 kilometres of uncompromising terrain, and 13-time winnerย Peterhansel has picked out the time spent at more than 3,000 metres above sea level as being potentially decisive, per Reuters (viaย Marca): "Once again, I can see the days we spend at high altitude being the key to this race. We have four or five days at extreme altitude, and this is never easy to manage."

Given the weather can be hugely changeable in Bolivia as well, the ability to adapt will be crucial during the middle section of this year's race.

Stage 9 sees the move from Bolivia into Argentina, which will be the backdrop for the final five stages.

The event's official Twitter account provided an indication of the scale of the event ahead of the start of the race:

Competitors in quads, cars, trucks and UTVs and on bikes will attempt to navigate some of the most difficult off-road environments the globe has to offer.

Per Reuters (viaย Marca), two-time winnerย Nasser Al-Attiyah summed up the attitude of many going into the brutal but exhilaratingย event: "This will not be an easy race for anyone, but we are determined to enjoy ourselves and also try to go for the win."

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