Trans-oriental Rally

The Trans-oriental Rally was a motor rally which started in St. Petersburg on June 12, 2008 and ended next to the Great Wall of China near Beijing on June 28, 2008.

Overview

It was an alternative to the Lisboa 2008 Dakar Rally which was cancelled due to fears of terrorism. Among the drivers on the race was François Delecour, two-time winner of the Monte Carlo Rally.

There were 16 legs planned:

Stage	Date	From	To
1	June 12	St. Petersburg	Rogatchevo
2	June 13	Rogatchevo	Petrovsky
3	June 14	Petrovsky	Yelabuga
4	June 15	Yelabuga	Mrakovo
5	June 16	Mrakovo	Bogotse
6	June 17	Bogotse	Arkalyk
7	June 18	Arkalyk	Botakara (via Astana)
8	June 19	Botakara	Ayaguz
9	June 20	Ayaguz	Karamay
10	June 21	Karamay	Turpan
Rest day
11	June 23	Turpan	Hami
12	June 24	Hami	Quinguan
13	June 25	Quinguan	Alxa Youqi
14	June 26	Alxa Youqi	Bayanhot
15	June 27	Bayanhot	Hohhot
16	June 28	Hohhot	Beijing

Fatalities

To date there have been two fatalities on the race:

• Chinese driver Xu Lang, June 17 (from injuries sustained a day earlier)^[1]
• French motorcyclist Philippe Tonin, June 17

The latter fatality led the Russian Kamaz team to withdraw.^[2]