Welcome to the 2022 Dakar that will take place in Saudi Arabia from the 1st to the 14th of January.
There is a lot of expectation for this 44th edition of the most challenging rally in the world that registers a record number of 430 vehicles in the race and the 148 crews in the Dakar Classic. To make this edition even more special, the Dakar 2022 will also be the first round of the new Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. For the first time, in fact, the Dakar will be part of the FIA and FIM World Rally Championships for cross-country rallying with A.S.O. designated as the promoter of this competition that will feature five rounds in the 2022 season.
The prologue will kick off on January the 1st with the competitors heading to Ha'il, located at the crossroads of the historical trade routes of Saudi Arabia. A 19 km mini-special will spice up the 834 km long transfer. It it will be only an appetizer of what the competitors will expect in this 2022 edition. “Be ready for the unexpected”, promised the Dakar Director David Castera in the launch, “this edition will have a special signature: sand in all shapes and colours”.
Men and machines will be tested over a total distance of more than 8,000 km (4,300 km of special stages), in a journey that will take them to the capital in Riyadh before returning to Jeddah on the shores of the Red Sea after 12 stages and a rest day.
The Xtremeplus team is ready to take on all challenges and for the most important appointment of the year it lines up four Polaris Pro XP and a T1 assistance in the race with team owner Marco Piana behind the steering wheel.
Four Polaris Pro XP
#437 Pietro Cinotto – Alberto Bertoldi
#453 Umeda Shinsuke – Tornabell Rafael
#445 Jean Claude Pla – Jerome Pla
T1 assistance in the race
The logistics
The logistics of the Xtremeplus team on the bivouac is impressive: a crew of 19 people made of 8 mechanics, 1 responsible for the engine, 1 responsible for the chassis and the bivouac set-up, 1 responsible for the logistics, 5 drivers and 6 assistance trucks.
Marco Piana, the team owner: “We are really excited to be at the start with such an impressive line-up and two important partners like CST Tires and Motul. In Jeddah we will have the 3 Polaris RZR Pro XP of Michele Cinotto, Pietro Cinotto and Jean Claude Pla with the CST Tires colours. Cheng Shin Tire is the largest manufacturer of bicycle tires and motorcycle tires in the world, employing more than 25,000 people. We have been together for 5 seasons and we are very proud of it. #453 Umeda Shinsuke and Rafael Tornabell will compete with the Motul colours. This is also a 6 six years long partnership that has seen us together such a prestigious French company producing high-performance motor oils and industrial lubricants for 160 years”.
The Route
Start: STAGE 1A - Saturday, January 1, 2022 Jeddah > Ha’il 834 km | 19 km Special
STAGE 1B - Sunday, January 2, 2022 Hail > Ha’il 546 km | 334 km Special
STAGE 2 - Monday, January 3, 2022 Ha’il > Al Artawiyah 585 km | 339 km Special
STAGE 3 Tuesday, January 4, 2022 Al Artawiyah > Al Qaisumah 554 km | 368 km Special
STAGE 4 Wednesday, January 5, 2022 Al Qaisumah > Riyadh 707 km | 465 km Special
STAGE 5 Thursday, January 6, 2022 Riyadh > Riyadh 563 km | 348 km Special
STAGE 6 Friday, January 7, 2022 Riyadh > Riyadh 635 km | 421 km Special
>>REST DAY - Saturday, January 8, 2022 Riyadh
STAGE 7 Sunday, January 9, 2022 Riyadh > Al Dawadimi 700 km | 401 km Special
STAGE 8 Monday, January 10, 2022 Al Dawadimi > Wadi Ad Dawasir 828 km | 394 km Special
STAGE 9 Tuesday, January 11, 2022 Wadi Ad Dawasir > Wadi Ad Dawasir 490 km | 287 km Special
STAGE 10 Wednesday, January 12, 2022 Wadi Ad Dawasir > Bisha 757 km | 374 km Special
STAGE 11 Thursday, January 13, 2022 Bisha > Bisha 500 km | 345 km Special
Finish: STAGE 12 Friday, January 14, 2022 Bisha > Jeddah 676 km | 163 km Special
Source: Xtreme Plus
