Motorsport: Schlesser wins Dakar stage

PARIS - Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser used his experience of the Dakar rally to the full to win the first stage on African soil of this year's race yesterday.

Schlesser, a Dakar winner in 1999 and 2000, clocked the fastest time in the third stage from Nador to Er Rachidia in Morocco in his self-built, Ford-powered buggy.

Mitsubishi drivers Hiroshi Masuoka of Japan and Stephane Peterhansel of France came second and third respectively in the day's 314km timed section.

Sixth place in the stage enabled another Mitsubishi driver, Spaniard Nani Roma, to capture the overall lead.

Twice world rally champion Carlos Sainz, the winner of the first two stages through Portugal and Spain, finished nearly seven minutes behind in 12th position.

The Spaniard, making his Dakar debut in a Volkswagen Touareg prototype, drops to fourth overall but a lot can still happen until the race ends in Senegal on January 15.

In the motorcycle section, the stage was won by Australian Andy Caldecott ahead of American Andy Grider and Frenchman Cyril Despres, all on KTMs. The KTM riders continued to dominate the event, placing nine riders in the top 10.

Despres takes the overall lead, followed by two Spanish KTM riders, Marc Coma and Jose Manuel Pellicer.

Tuesday's stage is a 639-km drive on Moroccan trails from Er Rachidia to Ouarzazate.

- REUTERS