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In Focus

Photos: Rugged racers cross Peruvian desert in 41st Dakar Rally

Vehicles in five different categories compete in dangerous and grueling 11-day race through Peruvian desert.

 / Updated 20 PHOTOS
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The 41st Dakar Rally is underway. This year's competition takes place in southern Peru, starting and finishing in Lima.

Spanish driver Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz are shown here during stage five of the Dakar Rally between Tacna and Arequipa in Peru, on Jan. 11, 2019.

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Motorbikes start stage five of the Dakar Rally on Jan. 11.

Started by French motorcylist Thierry Sabine, the first rally of 182 vehicles left Paris on Dec. 26, 1978, on a 6,000-mile journey to Dakar, Senegal. The race has taken place in South America since security concerns forced the cancellation of the 2008 rally.

— Ricardo Mazalan / AP
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A helicopter flies over competitors riding during stage five. 

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Dmitry Sotnikov of KAMAZ during stage five. 

— Flavien Duhamel / Red Bull
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French biker Florent Vayssade competes during stage five. 

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Driver Maciej Domzala of Poland removes sand from his vehicle before the start of stage five. 

— Ricardo Mazalan / AP
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Crew members sleep before the start of stage five. 

— Carlos Jasso / Reuters
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Mini's driver Yazeed Al Rajhi of Saudi Arabia and co-driver Timo Gottschalk of Germany during stage four between Arequipa and Tacna on Jan. 10, 2019.

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Driver Bernhard ten Brinke, center, makes repairs to his vehicle during stage four on Jan. 10. 

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz in the Mini of the X-Raid Mini JCW Team navigated through the sand during stage four. 

— Frederic Le Floch / Red Bull
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Czech Republic's truck driver Martin Macik and co-drivers Frantisek Tomasek and Lucas Kalanka compete in stage four on Jan. 10.

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Mini's Spanish driver Carlos Sainz of Spain stands by his wrecked car between San Juan de Marcona and Arequipa during stage three on Jan. 9. 

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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South African driver Giniel de Villiers  between Pisco and San Juan de Marcona during stage two on Jan. 8. 

— Ernesto Arias / EPA
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Fans watch Stephane Henrard of Belgium and Gatien Du Bois of Belgium compete in the desert during stage two on Jan. 7. 

— Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images
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KTM Factory Racing Team's Luciano Benavides competes between Pisco and San Juan de Marcona during stage two. 

— Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images
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Mechanics work on Team BBR's cars between Lima and Pisco during stage one on Jan. 7. 

— Dean Mouhtaropoulos / Getty Images
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Iveco's Dutch driver Ton Van Genugten, co-driver Bernard Der Kindren and Peter Willemsen compete during stage one.

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Peugeot's British driver Harry Hunt and Dutch co-driver Wouter Rosegarr during stage one.

— Franck Fife / AFP - Getty Images
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Chilean rider Pablo Quintanilla of Husqvarna competes during stage one on Jan. 7.

— Sebastian Castaneda / EPA
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Jakub Przygonski competes during stage one in Pisco on Jan. 7.

— Marcin Kin/ Red Bull
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