Last year, the 48h Chrono was introduced in the Dakar Rally—a new concept allowing participants 48 hours to complete a single stage. In 2024, this challenge took place in the second week of the rally, but for the 2025 edition, the organization scheduled it at the beginning. It’s a true endurance test for both man and machine.
A regular Dakar Rally stage typically begins in the morning with a liaison to the start. Then comes the special stage, which may include a neutralization—a timed break within the stage—and after the finish, another liaison to the bivouac. The clock runs only during the special stage, and the fastest competitor wins. Along the way, participants must collect stamps at checkpoints and tick off all waypoints.
In that sense, the 48-hour stage doesn’t differ much from a regular Dakar stage, except in its scale. During the 2025 edition, the special stage is 947 kilometers long for motorbikes and 967 kilometers for cars and trucks. The fastest participants would take around 10 hours to complete it. The sun rises at 7:00 a.m. and sets at 6:00 p.m., meaning the top 10 participants could theoretically finish in one day. But this is the Dakar Rally, and motorbikes follow a different route than the rest.
To split the stage into two parts, there are six “break zones” along the route. Once the clock strikes 5:00 p.m., participants must stop at the next break zone to rest overnight. The first break zone is at 491 kilometers, and the sixth is at 671 kilometers.
The leading participants will aim to reach the final break zone, leaving them with a relatively short stage on Monday. However, many competitors will simply be glad to reach the first break zone before nightfall.
The stage is diverse, featuring tracks, sand, dunes, and four neutralizations. During neutralizations, refueling is allowed—this is standard for motorbikes, challengers, and SSVs. However, in some neutralizations, trucks and cars can refuel as well.
Following the 48h Chrono can be challenging, especially at night. Everyone will be in different locations, and the night always transforms the desert. The organization’s goal is to create significant gaps early in the rally, and the 48h Chrono is perfectly suited to achieve that.