Traversing over 8000 miles through Argentina, Chile, and Peru, the Dakar rally pits drivers and riders against each other and against extreme terrain. The 14-stage race attracts competitors from over 50 countries to race 465 vehicles - motorcycles, quad bikes, cars, and trucks - through deserts, rivers, and mountains. The race has seen its share of tragedy over the years, and the 2012 edition is no different, with Argentine motorcycle rider Jorge Boero dying after a crash near the end of the very first stage, and two spectators dying when their ultralight aircraft crashed. Begun on January 1st, the race concludes Saturday in Lima, Peru. -- Lane Turner (37 photos total)
South Africa's driver Alfie Cox (left) and co-pilot Jurgen Schroder leave their Volvo XC60 Pewano burning during stage one between Mar del Plata and Santa Rosa de la Pampa, Argentina on January 1, 2012. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)
Franz Echter of Germany drives around the burning car of Jose Antonio Blangion of Argentina during stage one from Mar Del Plata to Santa Rosa de la Pampa on January 1, 2012 in Santa Rosa de la Pampa, Argentina. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Pieter Versluis of The Netherlands drives his MAN truck through a stream during stage one from Mar Del Plata to Santa Rosa de la Pampa on January 1, 2012 in Santa Rosa de la Pampa, Argentina. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
A man photographs Abdulla Alheraiz and co-driver Khalid Ahmad, both of the United Arab Emirates, as they compete in the third stage between San Rafael and San Juan, Argentina on January 3, 2012. (Frederic Le Floch/Associated Press/Pool)
Kazakstan's Artur Ardavichus and co-pilots Alexey Kumich of Russia and Kazakstan's Nurlan Turlubaev drive their Kamaz truck during the third stage from San Rafael to San Juan on January 3, 2012. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
Spain's Gerard Farres Guell rides his KTM during the fourth stage from San Juan to Chilecito on January 4, 2012. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
Ronan Chabot and co-driver Gilles Pillot, both of France, stand next to their car after they swerved off the road in the fourth stage between San Juan and Chilecito, Argentina on January 4, 2012. (Martin Mejia/Associated Press)
Giniel De Villiers, from South Africa, and co-driver Dirk Von Zitzewitz, from Germany, try to push their car after it went off the road during the fifth stage between Chilecito and Fiambala in Argentina on January 5, 2012. (Jerome Prevost/Associated Press/Pool)
Drivers compete during the fifth stage between Chilecito and Fiambala in Argentina on January 5, 2012. (Jerome Prevost/Associated Press/Pool)
France's Stephane Peterhansel and co-pilot Jean-Paul Cottret drive their Mini Monster during the fifth stage from Chilecito to Fiambala January 5, 2012. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
Eduardo Alan of Argentina gets stuck in the sand during stage five from Chilechito to Fiambala on January 5, 2012 in Fiambala, Argentina. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
South African Giniel de Villiers drives his car along a road in the Argentine province of Catamarca on January 6, 2012, a day in which organizers were forced to cancel the sixth stage between Fiambala in Argentina and Copiapo in Chile due to summer snow in the Andes. (AFP/Getty Images)
Argentina's Marcos Patronelli races his Yamaha quad as a helicopter flies over during the seventh stage through Copiapo, Chile on January 7, 2012. (Martin Mejia/Associated Press)
Competitors ride their motorbikes during stage seven in Copiapo, Chile on January 7, 2012. (Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images)
A tourist barbecues as Netherlands' Gerard De Rooy's truck drives past during stage seven in Copiapo, Chile on January 7, 2012. (Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images)
A tourist waves a Chilean national flag as a truck drives past during stage seven in Copiapo, Chile on January 7, 2012. (Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images)
Marc Coma of Spain races on stage seven from Copiapo to Copiapo on January 7, 2012 in Copiapo, Chile. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Andrey Karginov of Russia and co-drivers Andrey Mokeev and Igor Devyatkin attempt to free their Kamaz truck after it became stuck on top of a sand dune during stage seven in Copiapo, Chile on January 7, 2012. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
A quad bike rider makes his way into the Chilean mountains during stage seven in Copiapo, Chile on January 7, 2012. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Oliver Pain of France races during stage seven on January 7, 2012 in Copiapo, Chile. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Yamaha quad pilot Camelia Liparoti of France examines her road book on the eve of the eighth stage in Copiapo, Chile on January 8, 2012. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
SMG pilot Alister McRae of Scotland gets a massage on the eve of the eighth stage in Copiapo, Chile on January 8, 2012. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
Mechanics prepare the MAN truck of France's Raphael Gimbre on the eve of the eighth stage in Copiapo, Chile on January 8, 2012. (Jacky Naegelen/Reuters)
People shave and brush their teeth at the rally camp during the eighth stage between Copiapo and Antofagasta in Chile on January 9, 2012. (Martin Mejia/Associated Press)
A Dakar Rally staffer works on his computer at the rally camp during the eighth stage in the Atacama desert between Copiapo and Antofagasta, Chile on January 9, 2012. (Martin Mejia/Associated Press)
People watch a quad during stage eight between Copiapo and Antofagasta, Chile on January 9, 2012. (Philippe Desmazes/AFP/Getty Images)
Injured biker Xavier Pizzolito of Argentina is carried to a helicopter during the eighth stage between Copiapo and Antofagasta in Chile on January 9, 2012. (Martin Mejia/Associated Press)
Bruno Bony of France and Eric Palante of Belgium ride along a valley floor during stage eight from Copiapo to Antofagasta on January 9, 2012. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Etienne Lormand of France rides his Yamaha on stage nine in Iquique, Chile on January 10, 2010. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
A mechanic takes a nap inside a repair truck at the bivouac during stage ten in Arica, Chile on January 11, 2012. (Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images)
US driver Robby Gordon gestures upon arrival after stage ten in Arica, Chile on January 11, 2012. (Jerome Prevost/AFP/Getty Images)
Spain's Nani Roma and co-pilot Michel Perin of France drive their Mini Monster during the 10th stage of the fourth South American edition of the Dakar Rally 2012 from Iquique to Arica January 11, 2012. (Jerome Prevost/Reuters/Pool)
Competitors eat breakfast before the start of the tenth stage in Iquique, Chile on January 11, 2012. (Martin Mejia/Associated Press)
Joan Pedrero of Spain races his KTM in the tenth stage between Iquique and Arica, Chile on January 11, 2012. (Jerome Prevost/Associated Press/Pool)
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