Academy / Rally raid calendar / Rallies no longer held
Rally raid history
Rally raids that are no longer held
The rallies of the Mediterranean, the Balkans and North Africa that shaped the sport – when they ran, who organised them, who won, and where to ride something similar today.
Where it started
Paris–Dakar in Africa, 1979–2007
Every rally raid in this region traces back to one event. Thierry Sabine conceived the Paris–Dakar after getting lost in the Ténéré desert in 1975, and the first edition left Paris at the end of 1978. For almost thirty years the rally ran from Europe through Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Senegal, with later editions starting in Lisbon. The last African edition in 2007 covered 7,915 km and was won by Cyril Despres on the bikes and by Stéphane Peterhansel in the cars.
The 2008 edition was due to start in Lisbon on 5 January 2008. It was cancelled the day before, after four French tourists were killed in Mauritania and the organisers received direct threats; 570 teams from about 50 countries were already entered. The Dakar moved to South America in 2009 and has run in Saudi Arabia since 2020.
The cancellation also gave birth to rallies that still run today: the Africa Eco Race from Europe to Dakar, and the Morocco Desert Challenge, which began in Libya in 2008. Both are on our rally raid calendar.
The rallies
No longer on the calendar
Facts from published results, federation records and press reports. Where no official reason for an event’s end has been published, we say so.
1981–2011, 2015 · Tunisia
Rallye de Tunisie
For three decades one of the classic African rallies, raced in the Tunisian dunes and, in 2009, also in Libya. In its later years it opened both the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup and the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, with sponsor names such as Optic 2000.
Winners include Fabrizio Meoni and Cyril Despres on bikes, and Pierre Lartigue, Jean-Louis Schlesser and Stéphane Peterhansel in cars. The 2012 edition was cancelled; the rally came back once in 2015, won on bikes by Hélder Rodrigues. No official reason for its end has been published.
Ride something similar today: The Fenix Rally in Tunisia sees itself as its descendant. For dunes and roadbook skills, see our Morocco Rally Training.
1982–2015 · Egypt
Rallye des Pharaons
Created by Jean-Claude Morellet in 1982 and taken over in 1998 by a group around Jacky Ickx, the Pharaons crossed the Egyptian Western Desert and counted for the FIM world championship from 2000 and the FIA World Cup from 2005.
Ari Vatanen won it four times in a car; Gaston Rahier, Fabrizio Meoni and Marc Coma all won it on a bike. The last edition was held in 2015. According to available sources, it ended amid difficulties in securing support from the FIA and the Egyptian government.
Ride something similar today: Desert rallies in Morocco – the Rallye du Maroc and the Morocco Desert Challenge.
2010–2019 · Morocco
Merzouga Rally
A five-day rally around Erfoud and Merzouga, conceived by Italian promoter Edoardo Mossi and part of the Dakar Series from 2016 to 2019. It used the same navigation system as the Dakar and served as a preparation race for it.
Its winners read like a list of future Dakar champions: Sam Sunderland (2013), Kevin Benavides (2016) and Adrien Van Beveren (2019). The 2020 edition was cancelled because of COVID-19 and the postponed 2021 edition never took place.
Ride something similar today: The same dunes of Erg Chebbi are the base of our Morocco Rally Training in March.
1984–2017 · Italy
Sardegna Rally Race
Known until 2007 as the Rally di Sardegna, it was for many years a round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, in the mountains and forest tracks of Sardinia.
Marc Coma won it six times, Cyril Despres twice. The last edition in 2017 was won by Alessandro Botturi. No official reason for its end has been published. It should not be confused with the WRC Rally Italia Sardegna, or with the new Sardegna Rally Raid in Olbia.
Ride something similar today: Mountain rally raids in Europe – the Dinaric Rally, Hellas Rally and Rally Albania.
2008 (one-off) · Hungary and Romania
Central Europe Rally
After the 2008 Dakar was cancelled, the organisers created a one-off rally from Budapest through Romania to Lake Balaton, held from 19 to 26 April 2008, with 1,092 km of special stages. It officially counted as the 30th Dakar Rally and was the first event of the Dakar Series.
Carlos Sainz and Michel Périn won the cars and David Casteu the bikes. It is the closest a Dakar has come to the Balkans.
Ride something similar today: The Dinaric Rally through the Dinaric Alps of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2020–2022 · Spain
Andalucía Rally
Three editions in southern Spain, in 2020, 2021 and 2022, the last as the final round of the new World Rally-Raid Championship.
It was dropped from the world championship calendar for 2023 and has not been held since. The European round of the championship is now the Rally-Raid Portugal.
Ride something similar today: The Rally-Raid Portugal and the Galicia Rally.
until 2019 · Morocco
Panafrica Rally
A rally around Erfoud and Merzouga that factory teams used to prepare for the Dakar; the 2018 edition was the fifteenth.
The last edition we could confirm was in 2019, won on bikes by Joaquim Rodrigues. A 2020 edition was announced; we found no record of it taking place.
Ride something similar today: Our Morocco Rally Training in the Erg Chebbi dunes.
2021–2022 · Tunisia
Tunisia Desert Challenge
Two editions in the Tunisian Sahara, in November 2021 and April 2022, run by the team behind the Morocco Desert Challenge: about 2,500 km over eight days, mostly in the dunes.
In 2022 the rally lost French rider Matthieu de Saint-Exupéry on stage 3. From 2023 the organisers returned to Morocco.
Ride something similar today: The Morocco Desert Challenge, by the same organisers.
until 2023 · Bulgaria and Romania
Balkan Offroad Rallye
Started by the organisers of the Breslau Rallye as the Balkan Breslau in Bulgaria and later held in Romania. The eleventh edition in 2023 ran in Transylvania, with classes for bikes, cars and extreme vehicles.
We found no edition after 2023; the organisers now run the Fenix Rally in Tunisia.
Ride something similar today: The Dinaric Rally, Rally Albania and the Hellas Rally.
Still running
Often thought to be over – but not
- Abu Dhabi Desert ChallengeFormerly the UAE Desert Challenge. The 35th edition, 22–27 November 2026, closes the world championship season.
- Sahara Rally El ChottTunisia, since the 1980s. The 2026 edition runs 1–9 November.
- Rallye du MarocHeld since 2000 and today a round of the World Rally-Raid Championship.
- Acropolis RallyStill running – but a World Rally Championship event, not a rally raid.
Ride one now
The rallies that are still running
Dates for 2027 in the Mediterranean, the Balkans and North Africa – and how to prepare for your first one.