1979 Paris–Dakar Rally

1979 Dakar Rally, also known as the 1979 Paris–Dakar Rally was the first running of the Dakar Rally event. The rally began on 26 December 1978 from Paris, France and finished on 14 January 1979 in Dakar, Senegal, interrupted by a transfer across the Mediterranean. Cyril Neveu won the motorcycle category on a Yamaha, while the car category was won by Alain Génestier in a Range Rover.[1]

1979 Dakar Rally
Next event 
The route
Host country France
 Algeria
 Niger
 Mali
 Senegal
Results
Cars winner Alain Génestier
Range Rover
Bikes winner Cyril Neveu
Yamaha XT500
Trucks winner Jean-François Dunac
Pinzgauer

Summary

182 competitors (80 cars, 90 motorcycles and 12 trucks [1]) contested the inaugural Paris-Dakar Rally, departing the Place du Trocadéro on Boxing Day 1978 to embark upon a 10,000 kilometre journey to the Senegalese capital of Dakar via Algeria, Niger, Mali and Upper Volta. All the vehicles that took part were classified together, although they would compete separately in subsequent editions of the race.

Cyril Neveu won the rally aboard a Yamaha despite not winning any individual stages, taking the lead on the sixth stage after Patrick Schaal (Yamaha) fell and fractured his little finger.[1] Jean-Claude Morellet, competing under the alias of "Fenouil", had been running second until he was forced to retire as his BMW suffered engine failure with less than 200 km of the rally left to run. That promoted Gilles Comte (Yamaha) to second and Philippe Vassard (Honda), the only competitor to complete the Bamako-Nioro stage in the originally allotted time before it was extended, to third.[1]

Alain Génestier's Range Rover was the best of the cars in fourth, ahead of the Renault 4 of the Marreau brothers. Neveu's brother Christophe had led early on in the rally after winning two of the first three stages in his Range Rover, but got lost on the stage between Arlit and Agadez along with around a quarter of the remaining competitors.[2]

Stages

Stage Date From To Dist. Winner (cars) Winner (bikes)
1 26 December 1978 Paris Montlhéry3.6 C. Neveu C. Desnoyers
27 December 1978 Montlhéry MarseilleLiaison only
28–30 December 1978Transportation to Africa
2 31 December 1978 Algiers RegganeLiaison only
1 January 1979 Reggane In Salah270 J. Privé C. Rayer
2 January 1979 In Salah TamanrassetLiaison only
3 3 January 1979 Tamanrasset In Guezzam373 C. Neveu R. Potisek
4 January 1979 Assamaka Arlit230 G. Daurangeon P. Schaal
5 January 1979 Arlit Agadez231 P-L. Moreau J-C. Olivier
4 6 January 1979 Agadez Niamey230 C. Marreau J-C. Olivier
5 7 January 1979 Niamey Gao448Stage cancelled
8 January 1979 GaoRest day
6 9 January 1979 Gao Mopti600 A. Génestier G. Comte
10 January 1979 Mopti BamakoLiaison only
7 11 January 1979 Bamako Nioro du Sahel417 C. Giraudo P. Vassard
8 12 January 1979 Nioro du Sahel Kayes270None declared C. Rayer
13 January 1979 Kayes BakelLiaison only
14 January 1979 Bakel Dakar96 H. Rigal G. Comte
  • The above distances (in kilometres) refer only to the competitive timed part of the stage, which make up 3,168 km.

Leading Results

Pos. No. Competitor(s) Vehicle Class
1 12 Cyril Neveu Yamaha XT 500 Motorcycle
2 2 Gilles Comte Yamaha XT 500 Motorcycle
3 23 Philippe Vassard Honda XL250 Motorcycle
4 162 Alain Génestier
Joseph Terbiaut
Jean Lemordant
Range Rover Car
5 131 Claude Marreau
Bernard Marreau
Renault 4 Car
6 23 Alain Schaecht Honda XL250 Motorcycle
7 143 Cesare Giraudo
Antonio Cavalleri
Mario Cavalleri
Fiat Campagnola Car
8 3 Christian Rayer Yamaha XT 500 Motorcycle
9 141 Tommaso Carletti
Amarilli Carletti
Fiat Campagnola Car
10 162 Alain Vandekerkhove
Daniel Pichot
Gérard Dutertry
Toyota BJ Car
  • Of the 182 starters, 74 completed the rally.[3]
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References

  1. "History of Dakar - RETROSPECTIVE 1979-2007" (PDF). Dakar. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  2. "Christophe Neveu". dakardantan.com. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  3. "Classement du Paris-Dakar 1979". dakardantan.com. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
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