Dakar Rally racer blazes trail across Peruvian desert

South Africa's Riaan Van Niekerk rides his KTM during the 5th stage of the Dakar Rally 2013 from Arequipa in Peru to Arica in Chile, on Jan. 9.

This image was made available to NBC News on Jan. 11.

Also see:

• Competitors get stuck in, and escape, the sand dunes on Stage 6 of the Dakar Rally
• Dakar Rally drivers race across Peru's dunes during stage four
• Dakar Rally's Stage 3 victorious for some, costly for others