MONACO, 25 January 2004 — France’s Sebastien Loeb led the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally for Citroen yesterday as organizers canceled a stage for the second day running.
The day’s opening 34.4 km seventh stage between Lantosque and Col de Braus in the mountains north of Monaco was abandoned after France’s Nicolas Vouilloz’s Peugeot 206 was left stranded in the road in foggy conditions.
A Peugeot spokesman said the driver, who was in 10th place overnight and unhurt in the incident, had broken his car’s suspension.
Friday’s opening stage had to be canceled for safety reasons due to spectators crowding into dangerous positions.
Yesterday’s decision to scratch the stage times was a disappointment for Norwegian world champion Petter Solberg, who had set an aggressive pace and was set to move up from sixth overnight.
“It’s a shame that stage was canceled, because it would have been a good time,” said the Subaru driver. “I think I could have taken a place back, but that’s just how it is.”
Loeb, who led a Citroen podium sweep in Monte Carlo last season, remained 18.3 seconds ahead of Estonian Markko Martin in a Ford and 18.7 clear of Finland’s former world champion Marcus Gronholm in a Peugeot.
Spain’s Carlos Sainz, in the second Citroen, was in fourth place and 46.5 seconds adrift of Loeb.
