Peterhansel visits Machu Picchu before racing Dakar 2019

Lima — French driver Stephane Peterhansel, who has won the Dakar Rally a record 13 times, visited the ruins of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu before getting behind the wheel for the 31st edition of the race, which begins Jan. 7.

“Monsieur Dakar,” 53, toured Machu Picchu accompanied by his wife, Andrea Mayer Peterhansel, X-Raid team manager Sven Quandt and X-Raid driver Annett Fischer.

Andrea and Fischer are also entered in the rally, making history as the first all-female, all-German team to compete in the Dakar.

While it is Fischer’s first participation in the rally, Andrea Peterhansel is returning to the Dakar for the 11th time, having raced six times on a motorcycle, three times in a cars and once in a truck.

The Dakar 2019 is the first edition of the rally held in a single country, Peru. The more than 500 competitors will set out from Lima and cover some 5,000km (3,107mi) before returning to the capital for the finish.