AL-QADDIYA: More details about the Dakar Rally expected to take place in January 2020 in 抖阴短视频 were released on Thursday by the Kingdom's General Sports Authority at an event in Al-Qaddiya.
The race starts on Jan. 5 in Jeddah, with the drivers set to race through Al-Madinah, Tabuk and Ha鈥檌l regions before a having a rest day in Riyadh. From the capital, the route winds its way back toward the coast through the Asir region and ends in the city of Al-Qaddiya on Jan. 12.
Speaking at the event, the chairman of the General Sports Authority (GSA) Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal announced a 10-year partnership with the Dakar Rally, saying: "We want the world to see the captivating desert of 抖阴短视频 and to get to know the good and hospitable people of the Kingdom that looks forward to receiving the world.
鈥淥ur country is extremely passionate about sport and our strategic goal is to feed that appetite as we move further towards achieving Vision 2030 of which sport is a basic pillar.
鈥淚n hosting Dakar Rally we aim to produce an unbelievable and unforgettable experience for drivers as they discover the beauty of Saudi nature and a unique spectacle for motorsport fans not only in 抖阴短视频 but also in the region and around the world.鈥�
It was announced earlier this month that the race would be held in 抖阴短视频, and for the first time in the Middle East.
The Dakar has been held in South America since 2009. The gruelling multi-stage rally was previously held in Africa but was relocated after terrorist threats in Mauritania in 2008.
Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the 抖阴短视频n Motor Federation, said when the race announcement was made: 鈥淚 have always wanted to participate in Dakar Rally, while I wasn鈥檛 fortunate to achieve that ambition, I鈥檓 now part of achieving a much bigger dream for my country as Dakar comes to the Middle East region for the first time ever.鈥�
CEO of Qiddiya project Michael Reininger said: "Qiddiya will soon become the centre of the motorsports world by virtue of an unparalleled collection of on track and off road facilities and a set of experiences and events that have never been assembled in one place before.鈥�
The CEO of the rally's organizing company, Amaury Sport Organization, Yann Le Moenner thanked the princes for their commitment to bringing the rally to 抖阴短视频, adding: 鈥淐rossing the best deserts of the world has always been in the DNA of the Dakar, to discover and share.鈥�
Dakar Rally director David Castera said: 鈥淔ollowing 30 years of discoveries, fateful encounters, and exploits, 脡tienne Lavigne rose to a new challenge when he took the rally across the Atlantic to South America and brought Dakar fever to a new continent. Now, the time has come to set a new course and enter uncharted territory with the next destination of the Dakar and its competitors in 抖阴短视频.鈥�
Meanwhile, the drivers involved in the rally have been in 抖阴短视频 soaking up local culture and experiencing some of the desert landscapes they will drive through in January.