theguardian reports the first stage of the Dakar Rally 2016 has been cancelled:
The first stage of the 2016 Dakar Rally has been cancelled due to heavy rain, with organisers taking no chances over road safety after a horrific crash blighted the prologue stage on Saturday.
Competitors had been due to set off from Rosario to Villa Carlos Paz but will now start this year’s race from the start of the second stage, which starts on Monday. Drivers will instead drive in convoy on the highway to Villa Carlos Paz, starting their 5,000-mile journey from there – the race travelling through Argentina and Bolivia before finishing back in Rosario.
Crucially the helicopters that fly overhead the motorcycles, quad bikes, cars and trucks – providing safety assistance to the racers – were not able to fly in the conditions. . .
