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French rally driver Stephane Peterhansel poses next to his Mitsubishi during technical checks for the Dakar rally, Wednesday Dec. 31, 2003, in Clermont-Ferrand, central France. More than 500 cars, motorbikes and trucks will take the start of the 26th Dakar rally Thursday and will cross six countries before arriving in Dakar, Senegal, on Jan. 18, 2004. (AP Photo/Patrick Gardin)