2005 Dakar Rally
Encyclopedia
2005 Dakar Rally also known as the 2005 Paris-Dakar Rally was the 27th running of the Dakar Rally
event. The 2005 event was 5,565 miles long, began in Barcelona
on 31 December 2004 and passed through Morocco
, Mauritania
and Mali
before ending at Dakar
in Senegal
on 16 January 2005. The course was shorter than in 2004 but was more challenging. The number one jersey was not issued during the rally as a mark of respect for Richard Sainct
, who won the motorcycle category of the Dakar Rally three times and who was killed during the Rally of the Pharaohs
in Egypt
in September 2004. A record number of competitors, 696 cars, motorbikes and trucks in total, entered the rally.
Robby Gordon
and Colin McRae
swapped the lead in the early stages of the rally, until McRae suffered a crash during the sixth stage between Smara
and Zouerat
and retired from the event. Stephane Peterhansel
took the lead after winning the seventh stage. The eighth stage between Tichit
and Tidjikja
across the Mauritanian desert was cancelled due to stormy weather. Luc Alphand
won the ninth stage although Peterhansel retained the overall lead. Peterhansel won the tenth stage around the town of Atar
in Mauritania
, and retained his lead after the twelfth stage. The motorcycle stage was cancelled as a mark of respect for Fabrizio Meoni
, twice winner of the motorcycle category, who died following an accident on the 11th stage. Peterhansel also won the thirteenth stage from Bamako
to Kayes
in Mali
. The 14th stage was won by Ari Vatanen
, the 51st of his career, the 15th was won by Giniel de Villiers
, and the final stage by Bruno Saby
. The overall title was won by Stephane Peterhansel
for the second successive year. The motorcycle category was won by Cyril Despres
.
Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally is an annual rally raid type of off-road automobile race, organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation...
event. The 2005 event was 5,565 miles long, began in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
on 31 December 2004 and passed through Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
and Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
before ending at Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
on 16 January 2005. The course was shorter than in 2004 but was more challenging. The number one jersey was not issued during the rally as a mark of respect for Richard Sainct
Richard Sainct
Richard Sainct was a French Rally Raid Motorcycle Rider, best known for his three victories on the Paris-Dakar rally in 1999, 2000 and 2003....
, who won the motorcycle category of the Dakar Rally three times and who was killed during the Rally of the Pharaohs
Rallye des Pharaons
The Rallye des Pharaons is an FIM-sanctioned rally raid event that takes place in Egypt, with Cairo being both the start and finishing point at the foot of the pyramids of Giza, and covers roughly around 3,100 km. It is similar in format to the Dakar Rally in that it takes place in desert...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in September 2004. A record number of competitors, 696 cars, motorbikes and trucks in total, entered the rally.
Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
and Colin McRae
Colin McRae
Colin Steele McRae, MBE was a Scottish rally driver born in Lanark.The son of five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy McRae and brother of rally driver Alister McRae, Colin McRae was the 1991 and 1992 British Rally Champion and, in 1995, became the first British person and the youngest to win the...
swapped the lead in the early stages of the rally, until McRae suffered a crash during the sixth stage between Smara
Smara
Smara, also Semara , is a city in the Moroccan-Administered Western Sahara, with a population estimated at 42,056.-History:The largest city in its province, Smara was founded in the Saguia el-Hamra as an oasis for travellers in 1869. It is the only major city in Western Sahara that was not founded...
and Zouerat
Zouérat
Zouérat is the largest town in northern Mauritania and is the capital of Tiris Zemmour with an approximate population of 38,000 . It lies at the eastern end of the Mauritania Railway to Nouadhibou.- Overview :...
and retired from the event. Stephane Peterhansel
Stéphane Peterhansel
Stéphane Peterhansel is a rally racing driver from France. He won the Paris Dakar Rally riding Yamaha motorcycles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1998 and then again driving Mitsubishi Pajero SUVs in 2004, 2005 and 2007, making him one of the most successful drivers in the history of that race...
took the lead after winning the seventh stage. The eighth stage between Tichit
Tichit
Tichit is a partly abandoned village at the foot of the Tagant Plateau in central southern Mauritania that is known for its vernacular architecture...
and Tidjikja
Tidjikja
Tidjikja is the capital of the Tagant region of central Mauritania, lying on the Tagant plateau. Founded in 1680, it has a population of around 6,000 people.The town is known for its palm trees and its vernacular architecture...
across the Mauritanian desert was cancelled due to stormy weather. Luc Alphand
Luc Alphand
Luc Alphand is a French former alpine skier and race car driver.- Skiing :Born in Briançon , Alphand made his World Cup skiing debut in 1984...
won the ninth stage although Peterhansel retained the overall lead. Peterhansel won the tenth stage around the town of Atar
Atar
Atar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
in Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
, and retained his lead after the twelfth stage. The motorcycle stage was cancelled as a mark of respect for Fabrizio Meoni
Fabrizio Meoni
Fabrizio Meoni was an Italian off road and Rallying motorcycle racer. He was a member of the KTM Factory Team.He won at the Dakar Rally in 2001 and 2002....
, twice winner of the motorcycle category, who died following an accident on the 11th stage. Peterhansel also won the thirteenth stage from Bamako
Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali and its largest city with a population of 1.8 million . Currently, it is estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world...
to Kayes
Kayes
Kayes is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River, with a population of roughly 100,000 people. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninké word "karré", which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season...
in Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
. The 14th stage was won by Ari Vatanen
Ari Vatanen
Ari Pieti Uolevi Vatanen is a Finnish rally driver turned politician and Member of the European Parliament 1999–2009. Vatanen won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1981 and the Paris Dakar Rally four times....
, the 51st of his career, the 15th was won by Giniel de Villiers
Giniel de Villiers
Giniel de Villiers is a South African racing driver. He was the winner of the 2009 Dakar Rally, and is also a 4 time South African Touring car and Off road racing Champion....
, and the final stage by Bruno Saby
Bruno Saby
Bruno Saby is a rally driver from France.In 1981, Saby became French Rally Champion in a Renault 5 Turbo. He drove for the works teams of Renault, Peugeot, Volkswagen and Lancia during his career in the World Rally Championship...
. The overall title was won by Stephane Peterhansel
Stéphane Peterhansel
Stéphane Peterhansel is a rally racing driver from France. He won the Paris Dakar Rally riding Yamaha motorcycles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1998 and then again driving Mitsubishi Pajero SUVs in 2004, 2005 and 2007, making him one of the most successful drivers in the history of that race...
for the second successive year. The motorcycle category was won by Cyril Despres
Cyril Despres
Cyril Despres is a French rally racing motorcycle rider, resident of Andorra. He won the Dakar Rally in 2005, 2007 and 2010; riding a KTM motorcycle.- Rallye Dakar results:* 2000 : 16th* 2000 : 16th...
.