The Dakar, even when it went to Dakar
, was always set up to sort the wheat from the chaff early on. The 1st couple of stages in morocco were really tough and timed tight so they didn't have to have the broom-wagon filling up in the wastes of Tenere'.
This year they have turned the rally around and I would say for just that reason. If you look at the early stages last year, they looked fast and fun with the dunes coming later near the finish. Same reason I reckon.