As its name suggests, The Real Way to Dakar is a race that hoped to loosely mirror the former route of the legendary Paris–Dakar Rally, running from Europe to the capital of Senegal. After fourteen years, however, the race and its organising body Intercontinental Rally have shut down.
Kasper van Deurs and Jacob Ilskov, the organisers of the race, both have family members battling illnesses that require them to take time away. Due to a lack of resources to keep the small Intercontinental Rally operating, they elected to close it altogether.
“It is with great sorrow that we are announcing that The Real Way to Dakar 2025 is cancelled and that we are closing down the organisation,” begins a letter from van Deurs and Ilskov on Wednesday. “Both of us are dealing with serious illness in our immediate family and our focus must now be on healing and supporting our families through this very challenging phase. The Real Way to Dakar has always been a small organisation and with both owners having to change our priorities, it simply is not possible to move forward with the rally.
“For us, The Real Way to Dakar has been a dream and a joint project for the past 10 years, first as a service team and later as the owners of the rally and it is not without great consideration and many talks that this decision has been made. We are very much aware, that this will cause great difficulties for everyone who has signed up for the 2025 edition of The Real Way to Dakar! However, the health and wellbeing of ourself and our family must come first!”
The Intercontinental Rally first took place in 2011 with a route that began in Almería, Spain, and ended in Dakar. It continued with this name until 2020, when “The Real Way to Dakar by Intercontinental Rally” was adopted.
Registration for the 2025 race began on 4 March. With its cancellation, everyone who had already signed up will be fully reimbursed. Had it taken place, it would have run from 20 January to 1 February, though a “soft start” in Paris was scheduled for 16 January.
“Our participants have always been the most important part of running The Real Way to Dakar and in making this decision, it has been essential to ensure that we communicated this decision as quickly and clearly as possible, so everyone has as chance to adapt any plans,” continues the statement. “This also means that participants are able to get a full refund!
“All participants will get a separate email with detailed instructions on how the refund will be executed.
“On a final note, we would like to thank all participants and service teams who have joined us on this amazing journey. Thank you for trusting us with your dreams and being a part of our rally family!
“Thank you to our local helpers: Adnane, Sidi and Moulaye who makes sure that we are looked after and have all the necessary support in both Marocco, Mauritania and Senegal.
“And finally, to the organisation behind The Real Way to Dakar: Not many people knows the level of work, attention to detail and passion it takes to make a rally like The Real Way to Dakar, but we deeply appreciate all of you for traveling with us on this crazy journey! Thank you!
“We appreciate your support and understanding.”
The race consisted of six classes, each split into smaller categories by engine size or fuel source. There were four bike divisions (M1 for bikes up to 450cc, M2 for 451cc to 690cc, M3 for 691cc to 950cc, and non-petrol), two quads (Q1 for up to 700cc and Q2 for 701cc and up), three for cars (C1 for up to 3000cc, C2 for 3001cc to 4200cc, and C3 for 40201cc and over), a buggy class, a veteran category for those over the age of sixty, and Classic vehicles older than thirty. There was also an non-competitive Adventure category.
Unlike other rallies that use roadbooks, the Intercontinental Rally relied on GPS navigation provided as a GPX file each night.
The rally sought to fill the void left by the Dakar Rally leaving its traditional route after 2008, which the Africa Eco Race has also done since 2009. The 2025 AER runs from 28 December to 12 January, heavily overlapping with the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
2024 The Real Way to Dakar route
| Stage | Start | Finish | Selective Sections | Road Sections | Total Distance | Date |
| 1 | Mahirija | Merzouga | 298 km | 157 km | 473 km | 21 January |
| 2 | Merzouga | Zagora | 274 km | 57 km | 331 km | 22 January |
| 3 | Zagora | Icht | 200 km | 338 km | 538 km | 23 January |
| 4 | Icht | Smara | 378 km | 128 km | 506 km | 24 January |
| 5 | Smara | Dakhla | 361 km | 231 km | 592 km | 25 January |
| 6 | Dakhla | Chami | 0 km | 532 km | 532 km | 26 January |
| 7 | Chami | Akjoujt | 182 km | 49 km | 231 km | 27 January |
| 8 | Akjoujt | Azougui | 177 km | 61 km | 238 km | 28 January |
| 9 | Azougui | Azougui | 213 km | 85 km | 298 km | 29 January |
| 10 | Azougui | Akjoujt | 236 km | 38 km | 274 km | 30 January |
| 11 | Akjoujt | Nouakchott | 332 km | 74 km | 406 km | 31 January |
| 12 | Nouakchott | St. Louis | 0 km | 298 km | 298 km | 1 February |
| 13 | St. Louis | Senegal | 123 km | 26 km | 149 km | 2 February |
2024 The Real Way to Dakar results
| Finish | Class Finish | Number | Competitor | Team | Vehicle | Category | Class | Time | Margin |
| 1 | 1 | 119 | Mark Hatfield | Raid Assist | Husqvarna FE 450 | Moto | M1 | 50:51:12 | Leader |
| 2 | 2 | 107 | James Parker | Raid Assist | KTM 450 EXC-F | Moto | M1 | 52:20:20 | + 1:29:08 |
| 3 | 1 | 202 | Jakub Krofian, Pavel Rezny | Endeavour Team | Toyota Hilux | Car | C1 | 53:00:22 | + 2:09:10 |
| 4 | 3 | 123 | Jack Fielder | Raid Assist | Husqvarna FR 450 | Moto | M1 | 58:53:22 | + 8:02:10 |
| 5 | 1 | 204 | Hans Arno Kappeler, Mirko Ferrari | Pietra Nera Racing | Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ80 | Car | C2 | 58:59:31 | + 8:08:19 |
| 6 | 2 | 211 | Jiri Sedlar, Petr Sedlar | Wings Team | Nissan Patrol Y60 | Car | C1 | 66:26:59 | + 15:35:47 |
| 7 | 1 | 105 | Golka Miloš | ENDUROVYPRAVY | KTM 500 EXC-F | Moto | M2 | 68:01:23 | + 17:10:11 |
| 8 | 2 | 118 | John Foden | Raid Assist | KTM 500 EXC-F | Moto | M2 | 74:56:50 | + 24:05:38 |
| 9 | 3 | 102 | Neil Corbishley | Raid Assist | KTM 500 EXC-F | Moto | M2 | 76:34:32 | + 25:43:20 |
| 10 | 1 | 175 | Martin Landl | Slovak4RallyTeam | Can-Am Outlander X XC | Quad | Q2 | 89:24:44 | + 38:33:32 |
| 11 | 2 | 176 | Marian Landl | Slovak4RallyTeam | Can-Am Outlander X XC | Quad | Q2 | 91:36:44 | + 40:45:32 |
| 12 | 4 | 103 | Alexander Gouw | Desert Warriors | Yamaha WR450F | Moto | M1 | 95:38:02 | + 44:46:50 |
| 13 | 4 | 113 | Graham Jung | Raid Assist | KTM 500 EXC-F | Moto | M2 | 106:41:31 | + 55:50:19 |
| 14 | 5 | 109 | Eric Legendre | Les 2 Roues Meloises | KTM 450 Rally Replica | Moto | M1 | 116:56:34 | + 66:05:22 |
| 15 | 6 | 111 | Jiří Eliáš | Moto Gastro Rally | KTM 450 EXC-F | Moto | M1 | 126:53:15 | + 76:02:03 |
| 16 | 2 | 205 | Rutger van ‘t Klooster, Gerardus Bartholameus Jacobus de Keizer | STUTZ Rally Team | Mitsubishi Pajero | Car | C2 | 131:24:13 | + 80:33:01 |
| 17 | 3 | 201 | Hugo Miguel Lemos Castro, Rui Miguel Gonçalves Ferreira da Silva | MridersPT | Mitsubishi Pajero | Car | C1 | 153:04:22 | + 102:13:10 |
| 18 | 5 | 114 | Per Helge Sæter | Team Arctic | Husqvarna 701 Enduro | Moto | M2 | 161:07:13 | + 110:14:01 |
| 19 | 7 | 116 | Jonas IVersen | Team Arctic | Honda CRF300L Rally | Moto | M1 | 162:25:43 | + 111:34:31 |
| 20 | 8 | 108 | Remi-Mikael Tony Brenne | Team Arctic | Honda CRF300L Rally | Moto | M1 | 206:43:56 | + 155:52:44 |
| Adv. | Adv. | 101 | Alain Fischer | Desert Warriors | Yamaha XT 600Z Ténéré | Moto | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 110 | Johannes Baumgärtel | Team Knorpelschänke | KTM 450 EXC-F | Moto | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 120 | Jeroen van Schaijik | Desert Warriors | Yamaha XT 500 | Moto | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 122 | Frank Weisbach | Citybeach Dresden | KTM 500 EXC-F | Moto | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 150 | Jan Jacob Harm Kalfsbeek | No Harm Daan | Yamaha Ténéré 700 | Moto | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 151 | Daniel Johannes Petrus Bouman | No Harm Daan | KTM 690 Enduro R | Moto | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 203 | Claus Walden | Coyota | Toyota Land Cruiser | Car | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 206 | Michael Miggitsch, Doris Gögl | Rallyteam Tirol | Mercedes-Benz 310 | Car Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 212 | Franciscus Johannes Josephus van Lankveld, Roel Franciscus Johannes van Lankveld, Pieter Johannes van de Sande | Lankveld Rally | DAF CF | Truck Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 250 | Jacob Regner Glad, Frederik Bülow Glad | Team Glad | Land Rover Defender 110 | Car Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 252 | Daniel Bumbala, Lukas Bumbala | Wings Team Adventure | Nissan Patrol Y61 | Car Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 255 | Ludek Kubalec, Petr Sedlar, Pavlina Novak Rezna, Tomas Hanc | Wings Team | Nissan Patrol Y61 | Car Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 256 | Michal Ozvold, Matus Stano | K&M Expeditions | Ford Ranger | Car Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 257 | Ronny van ‘t Klooster, Cornelis Hendricus Jacobus van ‘t Klooster, Lucia Maria Theresia Beld | STUTZ Rally Team | Ford F-250 | Car Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| Adv. | Adv. | 258 | Josef Hetzenauer, Franz Praschberger | Cravallo Racing | Mercedes-Benz Unimog | Truck Adv. | Adv. | Adv. | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 104 | Douay Frederic | Raid Assist | Husqvarna FE 501 | Moto | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 106 | Rauber Pascal | Les 2 Roues Meloises | KTM 450 Rally Replica | Moto | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 112 | Norbert Dubois | Les 2 Roues Meloises | KTM 450 Rally Replica | Moto | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 115 | Jörg Philipp | Team Knorpelschänke | KTM 450 EXC-F | Moto | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 117 | Luboš Stapina | Moto Gastro Rally | KTM 690 Enduro R | Moto | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 121 | Hille Dalstra | Raid Assist | Husqvarna FR 450 | Moto | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 180 | Alexander Lantink, Tjerk Dijksterhuis | Desert Warriors | Polaris RZR Turbo | Buggy | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 207 | Thomas Archer Bata, Theodore Albano | TnT – Dynamite Boyz | Land Rover Discovery Sport | Car | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 210 | Miguel Riqueni Gomez, Miguel Espinosa Camacho | Full Equip | Nissan Patrol | Car Lite 1 | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 253 | Callum Scherzinger, Rowan Scherzinger, Nicholas Markram | Pajero Pandas | Mitsubishi Pajero | Car Adv. | DNF | DNF | N/A |
| DNF | DNF | 254 | Rainer Scherzinger, Cait Scherzinger | Timbila | Toyota Land Cruiser | Car Adv. | DNF | DNF | N/A |
