Speed limit for Dakar

For the 2006 Dakar Rally bikes and trucks will now be subject to a 150kph (92mph) maximum speed limit for the duration of the event.

The rule was announced today, Wednesday May 11, as the major route map was unveileved for the event. The 2006 Dakar will start in Lisbon, Portugal on December 31,2005, and will pass through Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea and Senegal, ending on January 15, 2006.

The new speed limit is a result of safety concerns following accidents during the previous years. Former winner Fabrizio Meoni was one of five fatalities on the 2005 rally. It wil be enforced by the Iritrack global positioning system, which will constantly monitor competitiors. In previous years, speed limits have only been enforced as riders passed through populated areas.