The organization of the Dakar rally has cancelled the rally because some idiots are planning terrorist attacks. Instead of doing a partial rally, or a couple of stages around Lissabon, the complete rally is cancelled. I really think this is unacceptable for all riders, sponsors and TV stations depending on this rally.
All the time and money people have put into making it to Dakar is wasted. Next year it will be harder to get sponsors for the rally, because the sponsors will not risk investing large amounts of money in a rally which “may or may not” start. All those private riders which loaned money from the bank will have a hard time returning next year.
Although not nearly as bad as for the competitors, this means a lousy start of 2008 for me and a lot of Dakar fans eagerly waiting the start of the rally, which was scheduled tommorow.