Dakar Rally organisers, the TSO, have issued a statement announcing the cancellation of the two special stages between Nema and Mopti and Mopti and Bobo-Dioulasso at the weekend.

Information received by both the French and Mali authorities that armed gangs could be present in the area gave the organisers no alternative but to cancel the two stages for security reasons.

Competitors will now head directly from Nema to Bamako on today and will arrive in Bobo-Dioulasso on Sunday evening. The rest day will take place as planned on Monday and the rally will resume on Tuesday with a stage from Bobo to Bamako.