Rallying: Loeb takes commanding lead in Monte Carlo

MONACO - World champion Sebastien Loeb, chasing a third straight victory in the Monte Carlo rally, took a commanding 32-second lead after the first day on Friday.

The Frenchman looked in a class of his own in his Citroen, completing the four stages of the season-opener in an overall time of one hour 18 minutes 46.9 seconds.

Loeb won three of the first four stages on the demanding asphalt roads of southern France with only his young Citroen partner Francois Duval of Belgium able to keep pace.

Duval finished second on every stage to trail by 32.7 seconds, while Finland's Marcus Gronholm, who hit back to win the second stage, was third in his Peugeot, a further 28 seconds adrift.

"Everything is going exactly as I expected," the world champion said. "Francois is very strong and I'm pleased to be in front of him.

"Me being the champion is now history and I'm pushing as hard as ever."

Loeb stunned his rivals during the 32.7-km third stage between Lantosque and Col de Braus, finishing 12 seconds ahead of Duval, while former world champion Gronholm looked completely outpaced finishing fifth.

Norway's Petter Solberg, world champion in 2003, ended the day fourth overall after his Subaru had severe brake problems in the opening stage.

"We had a problem at the end of a long straight," he said. "I had no brake power. I pushed the pedal as hard as I could but we went off the road and had quite a bad impact," he said.

"We were able to get going again and finish the stage."

- REUTERS