Dakar Rally 2012: Over 9,000 Km from Argentina to Peru

Mini's driver Stephane Peterhansel and co-driver Jean Paul Cottret both from France, compete in the fifth stage of the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally between Chilecito and Fiambala, Argentina, Thursday Jan. 5, 2012. (AP Photo/Jerome Prevost, Pool) (AP2012)

Toyota driver Orlando Terranova, from Argentina, and co-driver Andy Grider, of the U.S., compete in the third stage of the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally between San Rafael and San Juan, Argentina, Tuesday Jan. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Philippe Desmazes,Pool) (AP2012)

In this photo taken on Dec. 31, 2011, French biker Sebastien Coue rides his Yamaha during the Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally 2012 symbolic start in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Coue is in intensive care at a hospital in the province of Mendoza, Argentina after he was found passed out on the dunes as he competed in the second stage of the Dakar Rally in South America, according to a hospital official on Tuesday Jan. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/Christian Heit) (AP2012)

Spain's biker Marc Coma races his KTM as he competes in the second stage of the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally between Santa Rosa de la Pampa and San Rafael in Argentina, Monday, Jan. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) (AP2012)

Paulo Goncalves of Portugal races his BMW in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

Mitsubishi's vehicles are seen parked a day before the technical verification ahead the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. The Dakar Rally will start on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) (AP2011)

Toyota's driver Diego Weber and co-driver Alonso Carrillo, both from Peru, drive past an Argentine Navy training sailing ship Libertad, or Liberty, before checking their car during technical verification ahead of the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Thursday Dec. 29, 2011. The Dakar Rally starts Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

A mechanic with Japan's HINO team puts a sticker on the truck during a technical verification ahead of the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Thursday Dec. 29, 2011. The Dakar Rally starts Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

Mc Rae's driver Tim Coronel from Netherlands, left, checks his car with an unidentified mechanic a day before the technical verification ahead the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. The Dakar Rally will start on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) (AP2011)

A mechanic checks the Honda's motorcycle of Jan Van Woerkum from Netherlands a day before of the technical verification ahead the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. The Dakar Rally will start on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) (AP2011)

Vehicles are seen parked prior to the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Dec. 31, 2010. The rally will start on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Francois Flamand, Pool) (AP2010)

A map is seen through a widscreen inside a track a day before of technical verification ahead the 2012 Argentina-Chile-Peru Dakar Rally in Mar del Plata, Argentina, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011. The Dakar Rally will start on Jan. 1. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) (AP2011)

A fan gestures to bikers during the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally symbolic start in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011. The rally roared out of Buenos Aires with a ceremonial parade of hundreds of vehicles from its famed Obelisk on Saturday. The 16-day trek will take drivers 9,500 kilometers across northern Argentina, through the Andes, the Atacama Desert of Chile and back to the Argentine capital. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

Camelia Liparoti, right, from France, rides her Yamaha quad followed by Federico Gut, from Argentina, in his Polaris quad during the first stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Victoria and Cordoba, Argentina, Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

A biker races in the third stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between San Miguel de Tucuman and Jujuy, Argentina, Tuesday Jan. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/Daniel Garcia, Pool) (AP2011)

Volkswagen's driver Mark Miller, from the U.S and co-driver Ralph Pitchford, from South Africa, compete during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

MAN's driver Richard Gonzalez and co-driver Raphael Gimbre, from France, sit beside their truck after it overturned during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

A racer rides his motorcycle during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

KTM MRW Rally Factory's Juan Pedrero Garcia rides is motorcycle during the sixth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Iquique and Arica in Chile, Friday, Jan. 7, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

Cristophe Geoffroy of France races his Honda in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

Tatra driver Ales Loprais and co-driver Milan Holan, both of the Czech Republic, race in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

Jincheng biker Baohua Han of China stops to help KTM biker Meffre Laurent of France after falling in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

BMW driver Nani Roma and co-driver Gilles Picard, both of Spain, race in the seventh stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Arica and Antofagasta, Chile, Sunday Jan. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) (AP2011)

FOR USE AS DESIRED, YEAR END PHOTOS - FILE -In this Jan. 5, 2011 file photo, Mitsubishi's driver Guilherme Spinelli and co-driver Youssef Haddad, both from Brazil, compete during the fourth stage of the 2011 Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally between Jujuy, Argentina, and Calama, Chile. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko, File) (AP2011)