Motorsport: Peterhansel on course for repeat Dakar victory

DAKAR - Defending Dakar Rally champion and race leader Stephane Peterhansel remains confident of following up last year's victory despite limping home in stage nine today.

The Mitsubishi driver had to play second fiddle to fellow Frenchman and team mate Luc Alphand on the Tidjikja to Atar leg in Mauritania but holds a lead of just over 20 minutes over the former World Cup downhill skier. Sunday is a rest day.

Peterhansel, the most successful competitor ever to have competed in the event after winning seven of his 17 attempts, six on a bike and one in a car, suffered engine trouble towards the end of the 361km stage.

"Forty kilometres before the end of the stage, the engine made a very strange noise. So I drove very carefully and slowly until the finish line to take care of the car," he said.

"Then, to be sure not to take any risks, we preferred to be towed by Hiroshi (Masuoka) on the two last kms to the bivouac. I was a bit anxious, because I wasn't sure the engine wasn't going to blow up."

With seven stages to race before the rally ends next Sunday Peterhansel remains optimistic of overall victory.

"Halfway through the rally, the situation isn't too bad for us. I hadn't started very well but the Mauritanian stages saved me.

"I haven't managed impressive performances, but being constant was at least a good choice."

Alphand, who says he is under pressure to perform, was delighted to secure his first stage victory after he too had problems.

"It was a hard stage, I even had to deflate the tires. Then we had two punctures because it was very rocky and on this kind of track, if you drive fast you immediately get punctures."

- REUTERS