The Dakar Rally kicked off yesterday on the first day of the new year 2011, with a parade of hundreds of vehicles heading out from Buenos Aires' famous Obelisk, the start of a 16-day trek that will take drivers 9,500 kilometers across northern Argentina, through the Andes, the Atacama desert of Chile and back to the Argentine capital.

The first leg is ceremonial, a 370-kilometer route northwest to Victoria where racers will prepare for Sunday's first full race day. Defending champions Carlos Sainz in the cars category and Cyril Despres on a motorcycle return to defend their titles.

Officials listed 430 official starters, a record and up from the 362 who were enrolled last year. The actual number starting the race is always lower, but is also expected to be record.