The 2009 Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, will benefit from four hours of live television coverage on Eurosport.

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The 'Monte', one of oldest and most prestigious rallies in the sport, will run from January 20-24 after it was dropped from the World Rally Championship under the new rotation plan.

Coverage of the 77th edition of the rally will include a special focus on the Col de Turini stages, which will mark the climax of the rally on its final night and again be run in the dark.

"The unprecedented live action from the stages, combined with regular highlights each evening, will bring television viewers closer to the Monte Carlo Rally than they have ever been before, with an unmatched perspective from both inside and outside the cars," Eurosport stated.

Geraldine Filiol, managing director of Eurosport Events, said: "Thanks to this exciting and innovative production plan, which has never been done to this extent on rallies before, viewers will be able to live the legend and experience the drama of the Monte Carlo Rally.

"We are naturally delighted to open the IRC and the 2009 European motorsport season with the Monte Carlo Rally - which will include the epic Turini stages run at night again - and I am sure that our ambitious plans are worthy of a mythical motorsport event like this.

"Our live footage from the stages themselves will mark an exciting new departure not only for the IRC, but for the way that the sport of rallying is broadcast as a whole."