The 2009 Dakar Rally will be staged in Argentina and Chile, according to a report published on Monday.

French sports daily L'Equipe reports that next year's race will start in Buenos Aires and take in 6,000 kilometres of special stages before finishing back in the Argentinian capital.

The 2008 rally was cancelled in January after organisers Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) revealed that "direct threats" had been levelled at the race by terrorist organisations.

The event has been widely tipped to switch continents for 2009, and rally director Etienne Lavigne indicated today that South America would play host next year.

"Participants in Dakar 2008 will from May 15 have priority in registration for Dakar Argentina-Chile 2009," Lavigne revealed in a quote published by L'Equipe.

The ASO are set to confirm the route for the 2009 race in Buenos Aires tomorrow.

The director of Chile's National Tourism Service, Oscar Santelices, confirmed that the famous endurance event was poised to relocate to South America.

"We were told the ASO officials have already chosen Chile and Argentina. It's a fact and that's why they are going to Argentina to make the announcement," Santelices told Chilean newspaper El Mercurio.

"We are analysing how much we, as the government, should invest, as Chile will have to put some money for the race to be run here.

"Anyway, we are not worrying for that because the financial income will be higher than the outgoings."

Chilean officials have been in talks with the ASO for several weeks over the prospect of holding the race in 2009, and Chilean Motorbike Federation president Sebastian Etcheverry believes that the ASO's presence in Buenos Aires is a "clear signal" that their efforts have been successful.

"It is impossible that they have come to South America to say the Dakar Rally will be staged in Africa," Etcheverry added.

"I am very happy by this because it reflects the good job we've been doing for almost one month. Everything went as we expected."

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