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The location for the start of the 2007Dakar rally has not yet been
decided, but Portimão is in the race with Lisbon. There will be some
differences to the leg in the Algarve. The organisation of the king of off-road races is at the negotiation
stage with the different partners involved in the event, including the
Portimão Council, which last year hosted the Lisbon-Dakar caravan for
one night.
Manuel da Luz, president of the local authority, told us that the municipality is keen to have a higher profile role in
next year’s event.
He said that they had proved last year that they had good
organisational capacity and that this year they wanted to have a leg
that started and finished in Portimão and then would leave for Africa
from the cruise ship harbour. He added that another possibility was for
the race to start from the city on the Arade, rather than from the
Terreiro do Paço in Lisbon.
At present, negotiations with João Lagos Sports are already underway
and the cities have done everything to ensure that the rally comes to
them. The cooperation agreement between the different bodies involved
should be signed this month. Manuel da Luz said that they were dealing
with matters of detail at the moment.
The Algarve Tourist Board (RTA) has also met with João Lagos Sports,
because the Dakar rally is one of the key events that it is important
to keep within the sphere if tourist promotion.
Hélder Martins said that, similarly to last year, the RTA and the
ATA (Algarve Promotion Bureau) would be making an effort and putting up
the funds to bring more tourists to the Algarve at that time.
He also acknowledged the possibility that the race would start in
Portimão, but said that it was already important that the race came to
the Algarve. source: the observer
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