• la semaine dernière
A stage on the Dakar is divided in 2 : the Liaison and the Special.
What does it mean? How does it work? Which section is timed?
Have a look at this video!

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Transcription
00:00Every race day in the Dakar Rally starts and ends at a bivouac and is made up of two different
00:10sections known as the Special and the Liaison.
00:13The Special stages are the most exciting parts of the Dakar.
00:17These are the competitive timed sections often off-road across hostile terrain in which competitors
00:22try to achieve the fastest time possible while trying desperately not to crash out completely.
00:28The time set in the Special stage, to which are added possible penalties determines the
00:33overall positions in the classification standings.
00:36The sections before and after the Specials are referred to as Liaison sections.
00:40For safety and security reasons, it is not always possible to begin and end the Special
00:44stage at the bivouac sites.
00:46In this case, race vehicles must proceed from the bivouac site to the Special stage start point.
00:51Crucial to success in the Special stages is navigation, as the Dakar is in a sense an
00:56orienteering race.
00:58Competitors must find their way through over and around the many obstacles of the course
01:02as quickly as possible.
01:04However, they must do so in a way that preserves both man and machine.
01:08The goal is to not make any navigational mistakes that could result in a crash, penalties, poor
01:13performances or getting lost.
01:16Speed is important, but not as important as safety and attention to detail.
01:21To aid competitors in their quest, they are provided with a digital roadbook.
01:26The roadbook is the key navigation element.
01:28It describes all the necessary information to navigate between the many waypoints and
01:32checkpoints during each stage.
01:34The roadbook is provided by the organizers and is distributed every morning, five minutes
01:39before the start of the stage.
01:41The rally route remains a secret until the delivery of the roadbook to the competitors.
01:46But even then, the roadbook only provides step-by-step instructions on how to navigate
01:51the course.
01:53An overall map remains elusive.
01:55It is only through following the instructions in the roadbook and then validating the checkpoints
02:00and waypoints during the race that the overall route of the course is discovered.
02:05The roadbook is divided into three columns and is read from left to right.
02:09On the left, the large number is the total number of kilometers into the section.
02:14The smaller number in the bottom corner is the number of kilometers from one item to
02:17the next.
02:18Notification of start and ending of speed control zones as well as checkpoint and waypoints
02:23will also appear in this box.
02:25In the middle is the tulip, which is a drawing showing the trail, terrain and landmarks at
02:30that particular kilometer.
02:32You enter each tulip drawing from the bottom of the drawing.
02:35On the right is an observation giving more information about that tulip, such as its
02:40cap or compass headings, the relevant speed for speed control zones and whether or not
02:46there is waypoint marker in that section.
02:48The observations use a lexicon of symbols established by race organizers, which also
02:53must be learnt.
02:55So as much as the race is a physical challenge for riders, drivers and navigators, it is
03:00equally a mental challenge to stay focused, alert and prepared over the two weeks in order
03:06to face all difficulties.