Run from Europe to Africa since 1978, security concerns saw the 2008 edition cancelled on the eve of the rally. In 2009, the 'Dakar' shifted to South America where spectators in their millions waved off competitors from Argentina's capital Buenos Aires, even as purists voiced concern the South American landscape wouldn't offer the same challenges as Africa. They needn't have worried. The 2009 edition hurt just as much as its predecessors.

The rally remains the 'Dakar' despite no longer visiting that city, because the Dakar has become a word with its own meaning. 'Dakar' is the word for an unimaginable test of human and mechanical endurance. A task so demanding more than half the field will fail to live up to it.

Striking out through deep sandy desert, competitors race across the dramatic and punishing Andes mountain range and into Chile, before turning back home for Buenos Aires.

In the end, after 17 days, a 9,000km trip including 4,500km of racing, those tired and battered men and women will nurse war-weary machines back onto the finishing rostrum in Buenos Aires to mountainous applause.

With an average distance of 600kms per day, punishing terrain and the added challenge of camping in makeshift tent-cities called bivouacs it's little wonder that half the field fail to finish.

Course designers are sadistic in their planning.

The Dakar is not for the feint hearted, and has been known to catch even the most elite of competitors. In 2009 with just days remaining and a comfortable lead, multiple World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz and co-driver Michel Piren were caught out by a steep cliff face and crashed into a river bed. Piren was injured, and the duo that had the race sewn up just moments before was out.

Australians have experienced the heartache of the Dakar too, in 2006 Australian Andy Caldecott won stage three of the event. Days later, the popular rider was killed in an accident.

This year, five Australians line up. Three motorbike riders, Garry Connell, Christophe Barriere-Varju and Rob Pollard are joined by the duo of Bruce Garland driving an Isuzu D-Max and his co-pilot Hiroaki (Harry) Suzuki. Garland finished 11th in the 2009 Dakar, first of the diesel utes and winner of the Amateur class.

In a world where health and safety concerns rule supreme, the Dakar is one of the last bastions of pure, raw, treacherous challenge. It has cost lives, but that doesn't deter the hundreds of entries each year.

I'll be there, tent on back, pen in hand and dust in eyes, to bring you daily updates on the five Aussie competitors as well as regular news and colour from an event like no other.

This is Dakar. This is going to hurt.


Click here for more of Jacob Black's Deep in the Dust.


:: SBS ONE will show daily highlights of Dakar 2010, every night at 6:00pm AEDT from January 3 to 17. Or stay online at www.sbs.com.au/dakar for video extras, all the latest news, and expert blogs.