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Qatar’s Al-Attiyah extends Dakar lead
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FORMER champion Nasser Al-Attiyah mounted a late charge to extend his Dakar Rally lead on Wednesday as the gruelling 9,000km event climbed the Andes and then crossed Chile’s Atacama desert.
Qatari driver Al-Attiyah, the 2011 champion, finished 2 minute 40 seconds ahead of Mini teammate Nani Roma, the defending champion, whose hopes had disappeared on a disastrous opening stage on Sunday when he lost eight hours.
In third place on Wednesday’s fourth stage was South Africa’s 2009 champion Giniel De Villiers behind the wheel of a Toyota. De Villiers was 2:57 behind Al-Attiyah as he claimed a fourth successive stage podium finish and is now second in the overall title chase, more than eight minutes behind his Qatari rival.
Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Alrajhi, also in a Toyota, was fourth on the 315km timed stage on Wednesday to sit third overall, 23:33 behind Al-Attiyah.
“The man to beat is Giniel,” said Al-Attiyah after giving Mini, which swept the podium in 2014, its fourth stage win out of four so far.
“He is always a threat on the Dakar, always amongst the top places.
“We had a three-minute advantage on him. I need to keep going like this, be careful but also attack from time to time.”
Peugeot, returning to the race after a 25-year absence, endured another disappointing day with 11-time champion Stephane Peterhansel finishing fifth having looked on course for victory until the closing kilometers.
He is 10th overall but Carlos Sainz, the 2010 champion, suffered a series of technical setbacks at the 30km mark and was still to finish after needing assistance from support vehicles.
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