FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 6th, 2014
NBCSN TO PRESENT COVERAGE OF THE 2014 DAKAR RALLY STARTING TODAY
“Many racing events claim to be the ultimate test of man and machine, but they simply do not compare to the Dakar Rally.” – Leigh Diffey
Annual Off-Road Race Coverage Begins Monday at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN
Former NASCAR and IndyCar Driver Robby Gordon Aims to Build Off Two Stage Wins at 2013 Dakar Rally
Combined Routes for Cars, Trucks, Quads and Motorcycles Span 16,000 Miles Across Three South American Countries
STAMFORD, Conn. – Jan. 6, 2014 – More than 450 teams of competitors will compete in the world’s most challenging off-road endurance race starting today, when NBCSN begins its coverage of the 2014 Dakar Rally at 5 p.m. ET.
This year’s race is 35th installment of the Dakar Rally, and will span more than 16,000 miles and three South American countries. The event will make its way through Argentina and Bolivia before concluding on Saturday, Jan. 18 in Valparaiso, Chile. This is sixth running of the race in South America, and the first time that the event is racing in Bolivia.
NBCSN will present coverage of all 13 stages of the race beginning on Monday, Jan. 6 at 5 p.m. ET, with NBC Sports Group F1 essayist Sam Posey leading Day 1 coverage. NBC Sports Group’s lead F1 play-by-play voice Leigh Diffey will provide commentary from Day 2 throughout the remainder of the 2014 Dakar Rally.
Diffey on the Dakar Rally: “Many racing events claim to be the ultimate test of man and machine, but they simply do not compare to the Dakar Rally. Make no mistake – racing for 24 continuous hours is tough, but competing for two weeks is an all-together different deal. The grueling and at times life-threatening nature of this event is awe-inspiring. The spectacular scenery sometimes softens the immense bravery and sheer gritty determination of the competitors. Dakar is an event like no other.”
Former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Robby Gordon will look to improve on last year’s 14th place overall finish in a field of 153 cars. Gordon, who is racing in his ninth Dakar Rally, had a career-best third-place finish in 2009. Stephane Peterhansel will aim for his 12th Dakar Rally title, while Cyril Despres, who won last year in the motorcycle category, will look to tie Peterhansel’s record of six titles in the discipline. Despres will be one of 173 riders, making it the busiest category in the event. Last year’s winners in the truck and quad categories, Eduard Nikolaev and Marcos Patronelli, will look to repeat as well.
Following is NBCSN’s complete coverage of the 2014 Dakar Rally:
| Date | Coverage | Time (ET) |
| Mon., January 6 | Stage 1 – Rosario to San Luis | 5 p.m. |
| Tue., January 7 | Stage 2 – San Luis to San Rafael | 5 p.m. |
| Wed., January 8 | Stage 3 – San Rafael to San Juan | 5 p.m. |
| Thu., January 9 | Stage 4 – San Juan to Chilecito | 5 p.m. |
| Fri., January 10 | Stage 5 – Chilecito to Tucuman | 5 p.m. |
| Sat., January 11 | Stage 6 – Tucuman to Salta | 5:30 p.m. |
| Sun., January 12 | Rest Day Coverage | 10 p.m. |
| Mon., January 13 | Stage 7 – Salta to Salta/Uyuni | 6:30 p.m. |
| Tue., January 14 | Stage 8 – Salta/Uyuni to Calama | 5 p.m. |
| Wed., January 15 | Stage 9 – Calama to Iquique | 5 p.m. |
| Thu., January 16 | Stage 10 – Iquique to Antofagasta | 5 p.m. |
| Fri., January 17 | Stage 11 – Antofagasta to El Salvador | 10:30 p.m. |
| Mon., January 20 | Stage 12 – El Salvador to La Serena | 2 a.m. |
| Tue., January 21 | Stage 13 – La Serena to Valparaiso | 2:30 a.m. |
NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will stream coverage of the 2014 Dakar Rally via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.
For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
Content on NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.
–NBC SPORTS GROUP–
