A competitor makes a splash during stage seven. photographer Franck Fife AFP

Dakar rally 2015: dirt, dust and delirious fans

Optimu's French driver Pascal Thomasse and co-driver Pascal Larroque compete in the 2015 Dakar Rally Stage 3 between San Juan and Chilecito, Argentina. PHOTOGRAPH BY: FELIPE DANA / AFP

Toyota driver Bernhard Ten Brinke of the Netherlands and co-pilot Tom Colsoul of Beligum race between Iquique, Chile, and Uyuni, Bolivia. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

Peugeot driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-pilot Jean Paul Cottret, both of France, race between the cities of San Juan and Chilecito, Argentina. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

Mini driver Orlando Terranova and co-driver Bernardo Graue compete during stage seven between Iquique and Uyuni. photographer Franck Fife AFP

Mini driver Joan ''Nani'' Roma of Spain, and co-pilot Michel Perin of France, race between the cities of Copiapo and Antofagasta in Chile. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

Mini's driver Vladimir Vasilyev of Russia and co-driver Konstantin Zhiltsov compete during the ninth stage of the Dakar 2015 between Iquique and Calama, Chile, on Jan. 13. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)

Jeroen Van Daele of the Netherlands for HT Honda Rally Raid Honda CRF450 competes in the Atacama Desert during day 10 of the Dakar Rally between Iquique on Calama January 13, 2015 in Iquique, Chile. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Honda rider Joan Barreda of Spain races during the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally 2015 between the cities of Copiapo and Antofagasta, Chile, on Jan. 8. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

January 11, 2015: Drivers compete during stage eight, between Uyuni and Iquique(Franck Fife/AFP)

Fans take photos at the end of stage six in Iquique, Chile .photographer Franck Fife AFP

Bolivians cheer during the drivers onphotographer Franck Fife AFP .

Fans encourage drivers during stage seven. photographer Franck Fife AFP

Two men sit on a Chilean national flag as they watch the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally 2015 running between Chilecito (Argentina) and Copiapo, Chile, on Jan. 7. (Felipe Trueba/EPA)

A Bolivian woman is slightly less excited. photographer Franck Fife AFP

A rider is hosed down at the end of stage eight. photographer Franck Fife AFP

KTM rider Anar Chinbataar of Mongolia greets spectators during the symbolic start of the Dakar Rally 2015 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Jan. 3. The race starts on Jan. 4 and finishes on Jan. 17, from Buenos Aires, passing through Bolivia and Chile and returning to Argentina. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

Mini's Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France compete during the Stage 9 of the Dakar 2015 on January 13. Attiyah won his fourth stage in the Dakar Rally in on Wednesday. Photo: AFP Photo / Franck Fife

Toyota driver Giniel De Villiers and co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz kick up the dust during stage nine between Iquique and Calama. photographer Franck Fife AFP .

photographer Franck Fife AFP

Toyota’s driver Yazeed Alrajhi and co-driver Timo Gottschalk take on the sand. Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

French driver Joseph Adua of IVECO team competes in the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally 2015 between Iquique, Chile, and Uyuni, Bolivia, on Jan. 10. (Mario Ruiz/EPA)

Rafal Sonik of Poland rides his quad bike near Iquique in Chile during the sixth stage( Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

January 7, 2015: Jorge Lacunza of Argentina is helped by fans after getting stuck on the top of a sand dune during day four of the Dakar Rally between Chilecito in Argentina and Copiapo in Chile( Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

South African driver Giniel De Villiers and his German co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz of Toyota team pass next to Argentinian rider Kevin Echeveste (right) during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally running between Chilecito (Argentina) and Copiapo (Chile) on Jan. 7. (Felipe Trueba/EPA)

Sebastian Halpern of Argentina chases his quad as it rolls down a sand dune between Chilecito, Argentina and Copiapo, Chile. (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Sebastian Halpern of Argentina riding for Mendoza Espiritu Grande chases his quad as it rolls down the sand dune during day 4 of the Dakar Rallly on Jan. 7 between Chilecito in Argentina to Copiapo, Chile. (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Argentinian rider Sebastian Halpern topples from his quad as he competes during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally running between Chilecito, Argentina and Copiapo, Chile, on Jan. 7. (Felipe Trueba/EPA)

Toyota driver Yazeed Alrajhi of Saudi Arabia drives during the sixth stage of the Dakar Rally 2015, from Antofagasta to Iquique, Chile, January 9, 2015. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier

KTM’s Spanish biker Marc Coma competes during the Stage 4 of the Dakar 2015 between Chilecito, in Argentina, and Copiapo, in Chile, on January 7, 2015.AFP PHOTO / FRANCK FIFE

The hand of racer Marc Pedrola during Stage 5 of Dakar 2015 between Copiapo and Antofogasta, Chile, on January 8. Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

Peugeot driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-pilot Jean-Paul Cottret of France repair their car during the 9th stage of the Dakar Rally 2015 from Iquique to Calama in Chile(Franck Fife/AFP)

Peugeot driver Stephane Peterhansel (R) and co-driver Jean Paul Cottret Karginov work on their car during stage nine. photographer Franck Fife AFP

Mitsubishi driver Carlos Sousa, right, races past the Peugeot driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean Paul Cottret as they attempt to fix a mechanical problem. Photograph: Felipe Dana/AP

January 7, 2015: Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz check their car after they crashed out of the race(Franck Fife/AFP)

The broken rear tail light of the car of Anne Schol and Werner Zoetaert for Bastion Hotels Dakar Team Toyota as they wait on the start line
Photograph: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

William Alcaraz of France for Xtremeplus Polaris Factory Team in the RZR 1000XP waits on the start line during day 8 of the Dakar Rally on January 11 in Uyuni, Bolivia. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

January 11, 2015: Stephane Henrard and Bruno Barbier of Belgium in the VW Volkswagen 3L wait at the start line on the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia( Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Danish driver Jes Munk (right) and his French co-driver Sebastien Delaunay of Polaris team during the start of the eighth stage of Dakar Rally 2015 between Uyuni, Bolivia and Iquique, Chile, on Jan. 11. (Felipe Trueba/EPA)

Stefan Svitko of KTM. Photograph: Nicolas Aguilera/EPA

Czech driver Martin Kolomy and co-drivers Rene Kilian and David Kilian of the TATRA team compete in the third stage of the Dakar Rally between San Juan and Chilecito, Argentina, on Jan. 6. (Felipe Trueba/EPA)

Yamaha rider Paolo Sabbatucci, of Italy, rides through dust left by a car as he leaves a refueling point between the cities of Villa Carlos Paz and San Juan in Argentina. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

Stage 9: Iquique to Calama, Chile. Photographers walk up a dune in the early morning fog. Photograph: Felipe Dana/AP

Chilecito, Argentina. A coyote stands on the runway of a small desert airport during the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally. Photograph: Felipe Dana/AP

Kawasaki’s Chilean Patricio Cabrera walks in the salt flat Photograph: Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

Kawasaki's Chilean Patricio Cabrera pushes his bike during Stage 8 on the Uyuni salt flats on January 12. Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

Riders spread out during stage eight. photographer Franck Fife AFP

Yamaha rider Fabricio Fuentes of Bolivia rides during the 8th stage of the Dakar Rally 2015 on the Salar de Uyuni salt flat, from Uyuni to Iquique, Bolivia, January 12, 2015. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier

Peugeot driver Stephane Peterhansel of France drives on the Salar de Uyuni salt flat during the 8th stage of the Dakar Rally 2015, from Uyuni to Iquique, Bolivia, January 11, 2015. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier

Peugeot driver Stephane Peterhansel of France drives on the Salar de Uyuni salt flat during the 8th stage of the Dakar Rally 2015, from Uyuni to Iquique, Bolivia, January 11, 2015. REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier

Competitors in the 2015 Dakar Rally stage 6 between Antofogasta and Iquique, Chile, on January 9. Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images

Alain Duclos of France riding for Sherco TVS Rally Factory RTR450 competes with the shadow of the TV helicopter following him during day 6 of the Dakar Rally between Antofaasta and Iquique on January 9, 2015 near Iquique, Chile. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Mini driver Joan ''Nani'' Roma of Spain, and co-pilot Michel Perin of France, race between the cities of Antofagasta and Iquique, Chile. (Felipe Dana/Associated Press)

Foto: EFE

Foto: EFE

Foto: Reuters

Foto: EFE

Foto: Reuters

Foto: EFE

Foto: EFE

Foto: EFE

Robby Gordon and Johnny Campbell of the USA launch over a jump in the Atacama Desert during day 10 of the Dakar Rallly between Iquique and Calama in Chile.Picture: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Image
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