Help Map the Bolivian Stages of Dakar 2014

[doyle]

According to Juan Carlos Salvatierra, these are his thoughts on the course the rally will take through Bolivia. Who can take a stab at mapping out the stage? Bluebull? Hogwild?

Originally Posted by Chavo

This is what I think.
Stage will start in San Salvador de Jujuy, and from there go to Villazon, Tupiza, Potosi (probably sleep in Potosi), then Salar de Uyuni to Tarapaca (Chile) and sleep in Iquique (Chile).

Stage 1 of Bolivia: Jujuy to Potosi.
Stage 2 of Bolivia: Potosi to Iquique

The Bolivian stages will be 90% at high altitude over 3400 meters above sea level....So we are talking of around 800 kms in very high altitudes.

this is a video clip of SALAR DE UYUNI:

Fire up that Google Earth, some pre-running needs to be done before the deadline.

[Brodovitch]

paging Dr Neil, Dr Neil to the google maps room please

[HogWild]

Originally Posted by doyle

Who can take a stab at mapping out the stage? Bluebull? Hogwild?

Sorry, I'm too busy preparing roadbooks for the Diabolical Rally, Grand Rally and Mexican 1000. Just got back from prerunning the first stages of Diabolical, and it looks like we'll be having a real (gnarly) rally race there late in the year or first thing next year.

I've passed my mapping duties over to Bluebull these days.

[Bluebull2007]

Im also busy with a rally route in Africa with very long stages.

But this route....are we sure its going all the way to Potosi? Looked more like Tarija-Uyuni- Iquique to me ??? ...

So happens to be in the region I travel to for work on a regular basis.

There is some kickass riding there, but I suspect there will be some off piste mixed with long pistes in high altitude desert.

The question is are they going for distance or technicality? My guess is technicality will be low because the frenchies are nervous about the altitide (pissies! ) and the distances will be long because it sounds like long, untimed (Seriously??? ) marathon stages will be the order of the day.

Maybe turning it back into an endurance event rather than a technical one?


As always these things take time....let me sleep on it.. before I conjure up something. The chances of error will be high at this early stage, but I will give it bash.

[charapa]

VERY interested in the route! I will stage my motos in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, then drop down to Salta to meet the Dakar as it enters for the rest day, then follow it until it leaves Iquique heading south. From there we will return to Cuzco, Peru.

Niel, I also don't think it will go as far north as Potosi. I think it will overnight near Uyuni as a marathon, heading the next day to Iquique.

So.... do you think you might ride down?

Cheers! Toby