NAZCA, Peru: 2010 champion Carlos Sainz was reinstated as leader of the Dakar Rally at the expense of defending champion Stephane Peterhansel of France after organizers admitted that a satellite problem had hindered the Spaniard during the second stage yesterday.
Peterhansel, a 10-time champion on the world’s toughest auto endurance race, was initially credited with taking his Mini to victory on the second stage, a 242km timed run in and around Pisco, in 2hr 35min 38sec.
Sainz endured a nightmare session, getting lost as he tackled a tricky dune at the 75km mark, and finished outside of the top 10 after losing more than 21 minutes.
But the reason behind Sainz losing that time was not his on-board GPS but the satellites used by the race organizers, the latter said.
Sainz was handed the second stage victory and now has a 5min 05sec lead over Peterhansel in the overall standings ahead of 343km third stage from Pisco to Nazca.
Al-Attiyah was sixth overall, 10:25 down. Nani Roma, last year’s runner-up, lost more than 20 minutes to trail by more than 24 minutes in 15th place.
The good news for Roma was that his protege, Joan Barreda, easily won the bike stage on his Husqvarna and has an overall lead of three and a half minutes.
Ruben Faria of Portgual, fourth on the stage, was second overall, and Juan Pedrero Garcia of Spain was third, six and a half minutes off the pace. Defending champ Cyril Despres, 12th on the stage, was fifth overall but 8:50 behind.
Barreda trains with Roma, the first Spaniard to win the Dakar on a bike in 2004, and Roma continues to offer advice. Barreda was 11th last year in his second Dakar and won a late stage.
“I got lost at the beginning of the stage,” he said on Sunday. “But I wasn’t the only one who needed some time to find his bearings. I quickly got back on track and everything went smoothly from then on. It was a great day at the office.” The rally moves on to Nazca, another sandy stage of about 240 kilometers.
Sainz handed Dakar lead after satellite probe
