Ulaanbaatar, December 25, 2025 /MONTSAME/. The world-famous Dakar Rally 2026, regarded as the Olympics of automobile and motorcycle sport and the longest-running, longest-duration rally in the history of the “blue planet” since its inception in 1977, will officially begin on January 3, 2026.

Two Mongolian athletes are preparing to compete in the 14-day race, and among them is Honored Athlete Khaliunbold Erdenebileg. He is currently conducting his final training in the United States and will travel directly to Saudi Arabia from there. Meanwhile, the team behind him, the “From the Steppe to Dakar” Project, led by Uugan-Erdene, will depart for Saudi Arabia on December 28. Ahead of the competition, MONTSAME spoke briefly with Honored Athlete Khaliunbold online.

First of all, congratulations on your participation in the Dakar Rally. How is your preparation going?

Thank you very much. The “From the Steppe to Dakar” project was successfully implemented in 2025, and we are now fully prepared to take on our biggest challenge, the 46th Dakar Rally, which begins on January 3, 2026.

We are cooperating closely with Dakar and what can essentially be considered the factory’s second team of the renowned KTM brand. Our motorcycles and equipment have already passed inspection and were shipped from Barcelona, Spain, to Saudi Arabia. Initially, we planned to arrive at the competition venue 14 days before the race, but certain issues prevented us from doing so.

What was the starting point of the “From the Steppe to Dakar” project?

Competing in the Dakar Rally, the Olympics of courage, is a tremendous honor and opens countless professional connections, which are invaluable. The idea was first proposed to me by my close friend E. Uugan-Erdene, the initiator of the project. We have trained together in motocross and competed side by side for many years, so I accepted his proposal with great enthusiasm.

For an athlete, it is extremely difficult to manage other work alongside intensive training, which is why we approached the project from a broader perspective. We established a specialized team consisting of media and management professionals, which allowed us to finally realize my long-held dream of competing in the Dakar Rally. Furthermore, through this project, we aim to inspire and involve future generations of young athletes by providing positive influence, motivation, and the right mindset, all within a well-defined vision and long-term plan.

Over 14 days, you will cover nearly 8,000 kilometers across deserts and extremely difficult terrain. Are you ready?

I would say yes. The Dakar Rally is known as a battle of courage and the Olympics of technical sport. It represents the result of countless hours, months, and years of teamwork. Everything begins with consistent participation in qualifying competitions and strong performance.

The Dakar involves enormous logistical complexity. Professional teams, along with food supply, transportation, and global logistics, are coordinated across continents, which leads to extraordinarily high costs. Approximately 14,000 professionals, including athletes, mechanics, managers, and media representatives, gather for the event, with expenses amounting to billions.

For a Mongolian athlete, even the most basic professional service package starts at EUR 70,000–90,000, which is more than USD 100,000, and this covers only one team’s services. This includes a new competition motorcycle, full professional support, fresh tires every day, new mousse inserts, and constant technical maintenance. In short, Dakar demands enormous sacrifice, capability, and endurance.

Thank you for the detailed information. We wish you great success in the race.

Thank you very much. Two athletes will represent Mongolia in the 2026 Dakar Rally. I will compete with race number 57, while International Master Murun will compete with number 79. We sincerely ask for the strong support of our people as we strive to raise the name of our country. We will do our utmost to bring good news from Saudi Arabia.