Lisbon-Dakar Rally participants leave the conference where the cancellation of the race was announced in Lisbon January 4, 2008. The Dakar Rally was called off on Friday due to security concerns in Mauritania where eight of the race's 15 stages were expected to take place, organisers said. Four French tourists were killed in Mauritania last month and France warned Dakar organisers on Thursday that "the terrorist risk" could not be ruled out. The 6,000 km (3,600 miles) rally had been due to start on Saturday from Lisbon. REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro (PORTUGAL)