Dakar Rally (Day 4): VW takes the lead

We let Carlos, Nasser and Hiroshi past us today and then we were in dust," said Alphand. "If you want to finish the stage safely you need to leave a gap behind the car in front in the dust. It was just like a long train of cars and bikes today. There was no chance to get into a rhythm."

"We opted for a safe strategy over the first few days in Morocco, but it is very pleasing to be, not only in touch with our rivals, but actually leading the rally with the first two places," said Repsol Mitsubishi Ralliart Team Director Dominique Serieys. "’Nani’ has really benefited from his recent experience and again proved that we have four drivers who can win the Dakar this year."

"I told our drivers that Volkswagen are the main rivals, but we should also watch out for Jean-Louis Schlesser and Robbie Gordon and ’Schless’ proved the point and was the fastest today. We will maintain our strategy and see what develops. But it was a good day for us."

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is the longest special stage of the event so far, starting 56 kms from Er Rachidia, north of Erfoud, and finishing 197 kms from Ouarzazate, near the town of Tagounite. The 386 kms special offers a fine balance of twisty and rocky tracks, high-speed roads, laterite piste and stretches of treacherous sand.

Stage 1 Results

1. Sainz/ Schulz (E/D), Volkswagen Touareg; 56.20 min. 2. Sousa/ Lurquin (P/B), Nissan Pick-up; 57.50 min. + 1.30 min. 3. Saby/ Périn (F/F), Volkswagen Touareg; 58.11 min. + 1.51 min. 4. Kleinschmidt/ Pons (D/I), Volkswagen Touareg; 58.44 min + 2.24 min. 5. Chicherit/ Baumel (F/F), BMW X3; 59.22 min. + 3.02 min. 6. Roma/ Magne (E/F), Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution; 59.32 min. + 3.12 min. 7. Alphand/ Picard (F/F), Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution; 59.40 min. + 3.20 min. 8. de Villiers/ Thörner (RSA/S), Volkswagen Touareg; 59.48 min. + 3.28 min. 9. Magnaldi/ Debron (F/F), Schlesser-Ford; 59.50 min. (9.) + 3.30 min. 10. Miller/ von Zitzewitz (USA/D), Volkswagen Touareg; 1:00.00 hrs. + 3.40 min.

Stage 2 Results

1. / Schulz (E/D), Volkswagen Touareg; 1:34:28 2. Alphand/ Picard (F/F), Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution; 1:34:53 min. +00:25 3. Al-Attiyah (QA)/ Guehennec (F) BMW X3 CC; 1:34:56 mins +00:28 4. Masuoka (J)/ Maimon (F) Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution; 1:35:29 +01:01 5. Roma/ Magne (E/F), Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution; 1:35:30 + 01:02 6. Peterhansel (F)/ Cottret (F) Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution; 01:36:53, +2:25 7. Saby/ Périn (F/F), Volkswagen Touareg; 1:36:59, +2:31 8. Sousa/ Lurquin (P/B), Nissan Pick-up; 1:37:30, +3:02 9. Miller/ von Zitzewitz (USA/D), Volkswagen Touareg; 1:37:40, +3:12 10 Kleinschmidt/ Pons (D/I), Volkswagen Touareg; 1:37:53, +3:25

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