Drivers braved the grueling N39 stage of the 2025 Taklimakan Rally in China's Makit County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, enduring Gobi Desert dust storms in the decisive stretch where endurance decides victory.
Often dubbed "China's Dakar," the Taklimakan Rally is widely regarded as the country's most challenging cross-country race. The event charged into its ninth special stage (SS9) on Saturday on an 81-km route, an important battle before the drivers sprint to the finish line.
One day before, the Taklimakan Rally pushed competitors to their limits Friday as they tackled the eighth stage (SS8) which is widely regarded as one of the toughest stages of this year's event.
The 338-kilometer stretch cut deep into the Taklimakan Desert, confronting drivers with extreme heat, sandstorms and rapidly shifting light, all of which created a punishing test of physical endurance, navigation precision and vehicle resilience.
The seventh stage (SS7) of the Taklimakan Rally unfolded Wednesday in Yecheng County, with strong winds and dust storms forcing competitors to slow down on the short, technically moderate 82-kilometer route.
Veteran rider Martin Michek, drawing on extensive off-road experience, was the first to cross the finish line, showing dominant form through the sandstorm again. His Lithuanian teammate, Arunas Gelazninkas, maintained a steady approach, overcoming multiple dune entrapments to complete the stage safely.
The rally paused for its final rest day Thursday before moving into the decisive stages in Makit County, Kashgar Prefecture.
On May 1, 2005, the inaugural Taklimakan Rally launched from Urumqi. Dubbed the "Dakar of the East," it operated on a modest 800,000 yuan (about 110,000 U.S. dollars) budget - less than the cost of a single race car today.
That first edition lacked water and electricity at the camps, and only three of six stages were completed due to severe sandstorms. Despite these challenges, it ignited a passion among Chinese motorsport fans.
Over the years, the rally centered on the Taklimakan Desert, the world's second-largest shifting sand desert, has grown into Asia's longest, largest and most competitive off-road race.
By 2024, the Taklimakan Rally, now part of the FIA calendar, had expanded across 14 prefectures in Xinjiang, covering a total of more than 71,000 kilometers over the years and attracting more than 3,500 professional drivers from around the world.
The 2025 edition, which kicked off May 20 in Xinjiang's Aksu Prefecture, features 23 motorcycles and 105 vehicles navigating roughly 5,200 kilometers over 13 days, including 2,350 kilometers of timed special stages, before concluding on June 1 in Makit County.
Taklimakan Rally enters final sprint stages
