Dakar 2019
From January 6th to January 17th, 2019, the 41st edition of the Dakar Rally will take place. The participants cover over 5,000 kilometers in 10 stages through inhospitable areas. This edition will be driven in Peru.
As in previous years, the field of participants in this edition is again supplemented by the 'Firemen Dakar Team'. With their participation in the Dakar rally they demand international attention for the foundation 'Firefighters without Borders'. The purpose of this foundation is to provide less fortunate fire brigades anywhere in the world with good materials. We encourage this goal, because everyone is entitled to good assistance!
On this page we keep you informed about the rally!
January 17th
The final stage!
Pisco - Lima
Details
Verbinding: 247 km
Special: 112 km
Totaal: 359 km
January 16th
If you think stage 7 was hard? Guess again. Stage 8 is a real challenge. Eventually they have to spend the night under the stars in the dunes. The truck is severaly damaged. When they arrive in the bivacue the next morning they have little time until the start of stage 9. The serviceteam works miracles and manage to get the truck in good shape for the start.
January 15th
Stage 7 is brutal! Next to helping other competitors they end up having some problems of their own.
Today's stage:
San Juan de Marcona - Pisco
Details
Liason: 213 km
Special: 360 km
Total: 573 km
Januari 14th
The Firemen Dakarteam did great in stage 6. Maurik van den Heuvel, Ton van Genugten, Janus van Kasteren en Gerrit Zuurmond tried to overtake, but the team managed to stay ahead. The finished 11th.
Today a loop San Juan de Marcona
Liason: 63 km
Special: 323 km
Total: 386 km
Januari 13th
The second part of the Dakar rally 2019 starts today.
Arequipa - San Juan de Marcona
Liason: 501 km
Special: 309 km
Total: 810
January 12th
Stage 5 was real challenge. The fesh-fesh (powder) got into everything. Eventually they finish 16.
Rest day - Arequipa
January 11th
The team finishes an hour before the start of the next stage. A quick breakfast, restock on water and on it goes!
Tacna - Arequipa
Liason: 197 km
Special: 517 km
Total: 714 km
January 10th
The team takes his first beating in stage 3. In a small ditch in a wide canyon the truck went on it's side.
Despite this minor set back they managed to finish 19th! Awesome!
Thanks to a great service team and a little less sleep than usual they will start the 4th stage today.
Stage 4 an stage 5 together form this years marathon stage:
January 10th - Arequipa - Tacna
Liason: 259 km
Special : 405 km
Total: 664
January 11th - Tacna - Arequipa
Liason: 197 km
Special: 517 km
Total: 714
Small detail: The service team will not be able to assist between the two stages!
January 9th
Despite some missing waypoints the team finished in 20th place!
Today the team awaits a long stage. On this third stage, the pilots will discover a new dune area: ACARI.
San Juan de Marcona - Arequipa
Details:
331 km Special
799 km Total
January 8th
We started! 247 kmr liaison to Pisco and 84 km special around Pisco.
With a little detour still managed to finish 21st!
Today awaits a long special!
Pisco - San Juan de Marcona
Details:
211 km liaison
341 km special
552 km total
January 7th
The time is now! The Firemen Dakarteam will start at 14:00 local time. Todays stage:
The stage
Lima to Pisco
Details:
330 km Total
84 km special ( 100% sand)
January 6th
Today was a day of testing, a little bit of fun and off course the podium start. Tomorrow the Dakar 2019 finally starts with the first stage!
Overview of the 2019 stages
|
Stage |
Date |
From |
To |
Length |
|
|
|
|||||
|
1 |
januari 7th |
LIMA |
PISCO |
331 |
|
|
2 |
januari 8th |
PISCO |
SAN JUAN DE MARCONA |
554 |
|
|
3 |
januari 9th |
SAN JUAN DE MARCONA |
AREQUIPA |
799 |
|
|
4 |
januari 10th |
AREQUIPA |
TACNA |
664 |
|
|
5 |
januari 11th |
TACNA |
AREQUIPA |
714 |
|
|
|
januari 12th |
AREQUIPA |
Rustdag |
|
|
|
7 |
januari 13th |
AREQUIPA |
SAN JUAN DE MARCONA |
810 |
|
|
8 |
januari 14th |
SAN JUAN DE MARCONA |
SAN JUAN DE MARCONA |
387 |
|
|
9 |
januari 15th |
SAN JUAN DE MARCONA |
PISCO |
576 |
|
|
10 |
januari 16th |
PISCO |
PISCO |
408 |
|
|
11 |
januari 17th |
PISCO |
LIMA |
358 |
|
THE FIREMEN DAKARTEAM
DAKAR 2018
An overview of the 2018 rally.
January 15th
Today's stage is cancelled. Next stop will be Salta. Through the mountains facing bad roads they reach the border with Argentina. Enthousiast Bolivians waving goodbye, enthousiast Argentines welcoming the team. The rally truck goes ahead. The 5 cilinder fix has been a good choice.
January 14th
Finally they succeed in starting the engine. Only on 5 cilinders but still! The team can follow the Dakar in a 'normal' way. Next stop is Tupiza where they will arrive aroun 22:30.
After towing the Rally truck for 14 hours they arrive at the border between Peru and Bolivia. Driving in the dark accompanied by three organaization trucks they eventually reach the bivouac in La Paz. After some well deserved sleep they can start fixing the Rally truck. In the meantime they found some time to donate the rescue tools to the bomberos Antofagasta in La Paz. The truck may be damaged but the cause is more important.
January 13th
The servicetruck made it out of the ditch on it's own and made it's way to the race truck. They will try to reach a more populated area to make the race truck operational again.
The racetruck is towable. The Bomberos from La Paz will tow the truck to the location of the servicetruck.
January 12th
A snowstorm hits the serviceteam on their way to the raceteam. They get stuck in 'the middle of nowhere' at an altitude of 4700 meter. To make things worse they slide of the road and end up in a ditch. Now both Firemen Dakar trucks are stuck! Thanks to a local on a motorbike, Philip is brought to Tincopalca. A 45 minute drive. When he arrives the local fire departement is allready assisting the raceteam. They will tow the racetruck back to the servicetruck and try to get both trucks up and running again.
January 11th
The raceteam contacts the serviceteam. They broke down about 60 km from the desolate town of Tincopalca. The serviceteam gets ready to make their way to the racetruck. The organisation advises not to take the track. The alternative is a 4 hour detour.
The stage today goes from Arequipa to La Paz. We leave Peru behind us and cross the border to Bolivia.
"The Dakar leaves Peru and the desert to take on the mountains. The route become faster, barely leaving enough time for a peek at the many lakes along the way. The second timed section will start on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The Bolivian Altiplano requires competitors and crews to adjust to racing at an altitude of 2,500 metres. The day off in the capital will help them acclimatise."
The Firemen Dakarteam starting time 11:40 local time.
Details:
445 km distance
313 km special
758 km total
Januari 10th
The Firemen Dakarteam has completed stage 5! They came in 19th around 22:30. Excellent! Firefighters are born to help anywhere they can. It's their second nature. They demonstrate this habit when they run into Janus van Kasteren from the Mammoet Rallysport team. Who do you call when your truck is on it's side? Right, the Firemen Dakarteam! Natural born heroes!
The team makes good progress in stage 5. This is what their facing today!
The Firemen Dakarteam completed stage 4! After two nights in the desert, the team enjoys a well deserved night sleep in the bivouac. The truck can use some service so they can start stage 5 today. The team will start 8:06 local time.
Todays route:
The stage
San San Juan de Marcona to Arequipa
Details:
665 km distance
267 km special
932 km total
So what happened exactly in the dunes of San Juan de Marcona?
Januari 9th
It looks like the team will finish the 3rd stage around 10:30 local time. They have to start stage 4 at 11:41!
Todays route:
The stage
San Juan de Marcona to San Juan de Marcona
Details:
114 km distance
330 km special
444 km total
Januari 8th
Another night under the Peruvian stars. In good company. Together with the Rainbow Truck team, the Riwald Dakar Team, the Top Events Rally team and the Coronel brothers. The view could be worse!
Just in time voor the 3rd stage! If you want to service your truck in this time frame, you have to be fast! Very fast!
Still waiting for the team to finish. They have to be at the start of the 3rd stage before 12:00 local time. Todays route.
The stage
Pisco to San Juan de Marcona
Details:
207 km distance
295 km special
502 km total
Exiting moments! The Firemen Dakarteam has spent the night in the dunes. Together with other teams they were trepped in the sand. When night fell it was to dark to continue. We don't know if everything is allright with the truck. As soon as we know you'll read it here!
Januari 7th
The race has started, the Firemen Dakarteam is on it's way.
Yesterday was a long connection route with a small, but difficult, special. The team started 23rd and finished 18th! Wonderfull driving, great navigation!
Today the other way arounde: a small connection route, but a long special.
The navigators have a key role today
This is how the Dakar organisation discribes it:
"The Pisco loop stage is 90% off-piste. This exercise in navigation offers the car drivers the privilege of setting off before everyone else... and that means no bike tracks to follow. The risk of bogging is reduced by the relatively cool morning temperatures, but the canyons of the first 40 kilometres of special stage will not make for an easy ride, nor will the series of dunes..."
Details:
11 km distance
267 km special
278 km totaal
Januari 6th
The time is now! We start at 11:57 local time. Todays stage.
The stage
Lima to Pisco
Details:
241 km distance
31 km special (100%(!) sand)
272 km total
January 5th
Making finishing touches. Tomorrow it's full throttle!
A little testdrive in the Peruvian sand. Tomorrow begins the Dakar 2018! Credits to Philip Harmsen for the footage!
Januari 4th
The Firemen Dakar Team has now arrived in Dakar Village in Lima. Here the final preparations are made and the team prepares for the start of the Dakar Rally this Saturday. The racing team consists of Richard de Groot, Jan Hulsebosch and Gerard Beelen. They are supported by Raph van Elshout, Philip Harmsen and Frans Bakx.
An overview of the stages:
|
Stage |
Date |
From |
To |
Country |
Distance |
|
|
|||||
|
1 |
6 januari |
Lima |
Pisco |
Peru |
272 |
|
2 |
7 januari |
Pisco |
Pisco |
Peru |
278 |
|
3 |
8 januari |
Pisco |
San Juan de Marcona |
Peru |
502 |
|
4 |
9 januari |
San Juan de Marcona |
San Juan de Marcona |
Peru |
444 |
|
5 |
10 januari |
San Juan de Marcona |
Arequipa |
Peru |
932 |
|
6 |
11 januari |
Arequipa |
La Paz |
Bolivia |
758 |
|
|
12 januari |
La Paz |
Rustdag |
Bolivia |
|
|
7 |
13 januari |
La Paz |
Uyuni |
Bolivia |
669 |
|
8 |
14 januari |
Uyuni |
Tupiza |
Bolivia |
558 |
|
9 |
15 januari |
Tupiza |
Salta |
Argentinië |
754 |
|
10 |
16 januari |
Salta |
Belen |
Argentinië |
795 |
|
11 |
17 januari |
Belen |
Fiambalá / Chilecito |
Argentinië |
746 |
|
12 |
18 januari |
Fiambalá / Chilecito |
San Juan |
Argentinië |
791 |
|
13 |
19 januari |
San Juan |
Cordoba |
Argentinië |
669 |
|
14 |
20 januari |
Cordoba |
Cordoba |
Argentinië |
284 |
Firefighters without Borders
We think it is important that everybody can rely on adequate protection. With our international reputation we we raise awareness around the foundation to help them reach their goal and equip firefighters around the world with quality firefighting equipment.