After an excited post this morning about Robby Gordon and the Dakar Rally effort, this breaking news from Lisbon:

A.S.O. cancels the 2008 edition of the Dakar rally
After different exchanges with the French government – in particular the Ministry for Foreign Affairs – , and based on their firm recommendations, the organisers of the Dakar have taken the decision to cancel the 2008 edition of the rally, scheduled from the 5th to the 20th of January between Lisbon and Senegal’s capital.

Based on the current international political tension and the murder of four French tourists last 24th of December linked to a branch of Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb, but also and mainly the direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations, no other decision but the cancellation of the sporting event could be taken by A.S.O.

For more on the story, visit the official Dakar website here.

Obviously, this is a neccesary measure but one the off-road community as a whole is disappointed with. Safety comes first and, sadly, we live in a strange world.