The Dakar Rally was cancelled on Friday due to security concerns in Mauritania where four French tourists were killed last month, organisers said.
France-based Amaury Sport Organisation, in charge of the 6,000km rally, said in a statement they had been advised by the French government to cancel the race which was due to begin on Saturday from Lisbon.
They said direct threats had also been made against the event by "terrorist organisations".
The race, originally known as Paris-Dakar, has been held uninterrupted since 1979 although stages have been cancelled in the past for safety reasons.
"The organisers of the Dakar have taken the decision to cancel the 2008 edition of the rally scheduled from the 5th to the 20th of January between Lisbon and Senegal's capital," Amaury Sport said.
"Based on the current international political tension and the murder of four French tourists ... but also mainly the direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations, no other decision but the cancellation of the sporting event could be taken."
France warned the Dakar organisers on Thursday against holding stages in Mauritania because it said "the terrorist risk" cannot be ruled out.
Three attackers, who authorities suspect were linked to al Qaeda, gunned down four French tourists and injured a fifth as they enjoyed a Christmas Eve picnic by the roadside in the south of the country, near the border with Senegal.
Gunmen killed three soldiers three days later in the remote and sparsely populated north of the country, bordering Algeria and Morocco's breakaway territory of Western Sahara.
A spokesman for Mauritania's National Tourism Office, Hamady Samb Ba, played down France's concerns however.
"It is a surprise," he said, before the race was cancelled."
"It would deal a serious blow to the image of the country. Their concerns are unfounded."
The rally, one of the toughest and most dangerous challenges in motorsport, had been due to arrive in Mauritania on Jan. 11 with eight stages in that country until Jan. 19.
Organisers cancelled two stages in Mali last year after French security services said participants risked being kidnapped or ambushed by Algerian rebels.
Some 570 teams had registered for the 30th edition of the event with Mitsubishi seeking their eighth successive win in the car category.
France-based Amaury Sport Organisation, in charge of the 6,000km rally, said in a statement they had been advised by the French government to cancel the race which was due to begin on Saturday from Lisbon.
They said direct threats had also been made against the event by "terrorist organisations".
The race, originally known as Paris-Dakar, has been held uninterrupted since 1979 although stages have been cancelled in the past for safety reasons.
"The organisers of the Dakar have taken the decision to cancel the 2008 edition of the rally scheduled from the 5th to the 20th of January between Lisbon and Senegal's capital," Amaury Sport said.
"Based on the current international political tension and the murder of four French tourists ... but also mainly the direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations, no other decision but the cancellation of the sporting event could be taken."
France warned the Dakar organisers on Thursday against holding stages in Mauritania because it said "the terrorist risk" cannot be ruled out.
Three attackers, who authorities suspect were linked to al Qaeda, gunned down four French tourists and injured a fifth as they enjoyed a Christmas Eve picnic by the roadside in the south of the country, near the border with Senegal.
Gunmen killed three soldiers three days later in the remote and sparsely populated north of the country, bordering Algeria and Morocco's breakaway territory of Western Sahara.
A spokesman for Mauritania's National Tourism Office, Hamady Samb Ba, played down France's concerns however.
"It is a surprise," he said, before the race was cancelled."
"It would deal a serious blow to the image of the country. Their concerns are unfounded."
The rally, one of the toughest and most dangerous challenges in motorsport, had been due to arrive in Mauritania on Jan. 11 with eight stages in that country until Jan. 19.
Organisers cancelled two stages in Mali last year after French security services said participants risked being kidnapped or ambushed by Algerian rebels.
Some 570 teams had registered for the 30th edition of the event with Mitsubishi seeking their eighth successive win in the car category.
