URUMQI, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Dust rolled across the foothills of the Kunlun Mountains, turning gold under the morning sun. Then came the sound - a deep mechanical roar rising from the desert track before a blue truck burst into view, shaking the earth as it thundered past.
Along the roadside at the 2026 Taklimakan Rally, spectators from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region stood shoulder to shoulder. Some stretched onto their tiptoes for a better look. Others lifted phones into the air, trying to capture the moment the giant machine flashed by in a cloud of sand.
The truck belonged to the Russian team Kamaz Master, one of the most decorated names in off-road racing. Founded in 1988, the team has won the Dakar Rally's truck category 19 times.
This year, for the first time, the Russians brought their trucks to western China to compete in the Taklimakan Rally, the country's signature cross-country rally.
"We had been to China before for the Silk Road Rally, but this is our first time here," said Ekaterina Doronina, head of team marketing. "The desert landscape here is fascinating and challenging. These conditions make the whole team stronger. That is why we chose to come."
First held in Xinjiang in 2005, the Taklimakan Rally has grown from a domestic endurance race into an increasingly international event. In 2024, it was added to the calendar of the FIA, motorsport's global governing body.
This year's edition stretches 7,500 kilometers across Xinjiang, including 3,400 kilometers of special stages. Nearly 300 competitors and 152 race vehicles, including nine trucks, entered the event, both record highs.
For team leader Eduard Nikolaev, the scale of the rally is exactly the attraction.
"This race is very long and in many ways similar to Dakar and the Silk Way Rally," Nikolaev said. "These marathon-style competitions are important for us."
Preparation for Xinjiang began long before the starting flag dropped.
Nikolaev said the team sent staff to observe last year's rally, studying the routes and terrain. Later, the squad conducted dedicated training in China, practicing dune crossings and analyzing the composition and density of the sand.
This time, Kamaz Master arrived with more than 40 personnel, including drivers, mechanics, electricians, media staff and management. Two trucks entered the competition.
Young driver Almaz Akhmedov said the atmosphere in Xinjiang left a strong impression on him.
"The racing culture here and the different landscapes are amazing," he said. "We came here looking for a bigger stage. This is an unforgettable platform."
The rally attracted 28 overseas drivers from eight countries, including Russia, Argentina and Spain, adding to the event's growing international profile. Other Russian teams, including Ural Motorsport and Snag Racing Team, also joined the competition.
The challenge became clear during Stage 5, known among competitors as the "Devil Stage," where Akhmedov's truck became trapped in soft sand. But the team recovered quickly. By the end of Stage 7, both KAMAZ trucks remained among the overall top 10.
"This is a difficult race," Akhmedov said. "Just participating is already an experience. Finishing is not easy."
Away from the racecourse, the rally has become something larger than competition alone.
In bivouac camps across Xinjiang, Russian team members danced with locals, shared skewers of lamb and responded warmly whenever they heard someone greet them with the Russian word "tovarish."
"At the Taklimakan Rally, we truly feel the spirit of motorsport and challenge," Nikolaev said. "And seeing so many fans in China is something beautiful."
Doronina is already thinking ahead.
"This race is an important part of our long-term plans," she said. "This year we brought two trucks. Maybe next year we will bring even more. We also hope more international drivers will come here in the future and make the rally even more exciting."
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