Dakar Rally 2012 (31 photos) Bashny.Net

Joan Roma won the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally in the car category. Stephane Peterhansel finished fourth, but kept the overall lead. For the fourth consecutive year, the rally is held in South America. Until 2008, the races were held in Europe and Africa, but were postponed due to the tense situation in the region. The last three years, the rally consisted of successive journeys from Buenos Aires to Chile and back. This year the rally began in Argentina, passes through Chile and finishes in Lima, Peru, on January 15.

1. A man photographs the car Toyota Alheraiza Abdullah and Khalid Ahmad, marathon between San Rafael and San Juan, Argentina, January 3, 2012. (AP / Frederic Le Floch)



2. People at the sink in the camp during the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally Argentina-Chile-Peru 2012 between Copiapo and Antofagasta, Chile, on 9 January. (AP / Martin Mejia)



3. Spaniard Marc Coma inspecting his motorbike at the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally, January 9, 2011. (AP / Martin Mejia)



4. Spaniard Marc Coma in the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally, January 9, 2011. (AP / Martin Mejia)



5. The Argentine Marcos Patronelli ATV involved in the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally, January 7 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



6. Spaniard Marc Coma in the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally, January 7, 2011. (AP / Martin Mejia)



7. Frenchman Cyril Despre the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally, January 7 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



8. The Portuguese Helder Rodrigues, the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally, January 7 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



9. Spaniard Marc Coma (right) and Frenchman Cyril Despre the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally, January 7 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



10. Senkalaysi Sakir (right), Stanley Watt and Vincent Gindani, the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally, January 7, 2012, in Chile. (AP / Martin Mejia)



11. The Portuguese rider Helder Rodrigues during the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally, Argentina, on January 5, 2012. (AP / Jacky Naegelen)



12. Spaniard Marc Coma during the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally, January 5, 2012, Argentina. (AP / Jerome Prevost)



13. Joan «Nani» Roma from Spain and his partner Michel Perin of France participate in the fifth stage of the rally, January 5, 2012, Argentina. (AP / Jerome Prevost)



14. Stephane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret participate in the fifth stage of the rally, January 5, 2012, Argentina. (AP / Jerome Prevost)



15. Dirk von Zittsevits pushing car and driver Giniel de Vilesidit driving. The fifth stage of the Dakar Rally, Argentina, on January 5, 2012. (AP / Jerome Prevost)



16. Frenchman Stephane Hamard raises his fallen bike, the fourth stage of the rally, Argentina, 4 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



17. Spaniard Marc Coma, fourth stage of Rally Argentina, 4 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



18. The Frenchman Hugues Payen camera on the helmet, the fourth stage of the rally, Argentina, January 4, 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



19. Zhou Yun and Pascal Memon (above) pass by standing at his car ran off the track Ronan Chabot and Gilles Pillet. The fourth stage of the Dakar Rally Argentina. January 4, 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



20. French rider Christophe Meilla and Argentinean Lucas Bonetto on his ATV, the fourth stage of the Dakar Rally on January 4, 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



21. The Portuguese Paulo Gonçalves participate in the fourth stage of the Rally Argentina, 4 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



22. Pole Rafal Sonik during the fourth stage of the Rally Argentina, 4 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



23. Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar and Luca Cruz from Spain during the third stage of the Rally Argentina, 3 January 2012. (AP / Philippe Desmazes)



24. Robby Gordon and Johnny Campbell of the United States, the third stage of Rally Argentina, 3 January 2012. (AP / Jacky Naegelen)



25. Frenchman David Casteau (right) pushes his motorbike. He is assisted by Olivier Pen (left) and Alain Duclos. The third stage of the Dakar Rally, Argentina, 3 January 2012. (AP / Frederic Le Floch)



26. Serge Gunon of France during the second stage of the Dakar Rally, Argentina, 2 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



27. Krzysztof Holovchik from Poland and Jean-Marc Fortin of Belgium during the second stage of the Dakar Rally, Argentina, 2 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



28. The Norwegian rider Anders Ullevalseter resting on a stop during the second stage of the Dakar Rally in Argentina, 2 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



29. People rush to the aid of Jean-KloduMaze from France. Romanian biker Marcel Butuz (right) and French rider Hervé teuri (left) pass by. The second stage of the Dakar Rally, Argentina, 2 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



30. Balazs Szalay and Laszlo Bunkozi from Hungary during the second stage of the Dakar Rally, Argentina, 2 January 2012. (AP / Martin Mejia)



31. Burnt car driver Alfie goat from South Africa, the first stage of the Dakar Rally Argentina on 1 January 2012. (ZUMA24.com / Cezaro De Luca)