A record 570 teams from 50 countries will take on the 2008 Dakar Rally over a tortuous desert-dominated course.

The centre-piece of the endurance race is a lengthy trek through the Sahara in Mauritania, with the competitors clocking up over 9,000km.

Organisers have reduced the liaison sections at either end of the stages, meaning more of the rally is timed, while the race sidesteps Mali entirely because of safety concerns.

Race director Etienne Lavigne said: "It is simply too complicated to organize a Dakar through such regions."

The race gets under way in Lisbon - for the second year in a row - on January 5, arriving in the Senegalese capital Dakar 15 days later.

Two stages will be run without assistance from race officials, with the onus on racers to help each other in the event of breakdown.

Three-time winner Stephane Peterhansel and former downhill skiing ace Luc Alphand will head the challenge of Mitsubishi, who have produced the winner of the car category each of the last seven years.

2008 Dakar route

Stage 1 - Jan 5 - Lisbon-Portimao - 120km timed/486km total

Stage 2 - Jan 6 - Portimao-Malaga - 60/535km

Stage 3 - Jan 7 - Nador-Er Rachidia - 372/717km

Stage 4 - Jan 8 - Er Rachidia-Ouarzazate - 356/584km

Stage 5 - Jan 9 - Ouarzazate-Guelmim - 498/834km

Stage 6 - Jan 10 - Guelmim-Smara - 454/625km

Stage 7 - Jan 11 - Smara-Atar - 619/829km

Stage 8 - Jan 12 - Atar-Nouakchott - 450/531km

Rest day - Jan 13

Stage 9 - Jan 14 - Nouakchott-Nouhadibou - 525/648km

Stage 10 - Jan 15 - Nouhadibou-Atar - 552/685km

Stage 11 - Jan 16 - Atar-Tidjikja - 524/692km

Stage 12 - Jan 17 - Tidjikja-Kiffa - 398/531km

Stage 13 - Jan 18 - Kiffa-Kiffa - 484/515km

Stage 14 - Jan 19 - Kiffa-St Louis - 301/757km

Stage 15 - Jan 20 - St Louis-Dakar - 23/304km

Alex Chick / Eurosport