Dakar Stage 7: Sainz gives Peugeot another win

Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz finally managed to bring home the bacon, taking the seventh stage of the 38th Dakar. The Spaniard and his DKR 2008 netted the sixth consecutive win for Peugeot, which only failed to win on the opening day. Sebastien Loeb wrestled the overall lead back from Peterhansel. In the motorcycle category, Antoine Meo took his maiden Dakar win at the end of a shortened stage but Saturday was marred by the death of a 63-year-old spectator, who was killed instantly after he was hit by the Mitsubishi Lancer of French driver Lionel Baud.

A statement from event organizers said that Baud’s car "hit a 63-year-old man who was isolated on the race course.

"Once at the [accident] site, the medical service of the organisation unfortunately could only note the death of the injured person.

"Alerted by the organisation, the Bolivian authorities represented by the prosecution, went to the site by helicopter of the organisation in order to determine the circumstances of the accident."

One could be forgiven for thinking the 38th edition of the Dakar is a Peugeot parade. Look a little closer, though, and you will see a clash of titans between the three teammates of the Lion brand. Sebastien Loeb fired the opening salvo this morning by posting the fastest time at CP1. He doubled up on his performance in the second sector, but even that could not keep Carlos Sainz down.

Loeb's former teammate in rallies, also a world rally champion, pulled out all the stops and went one better than the driver from Alsace by flawlessly navigating the final part of the special and winning the stage by 38 seconds. Stephane Peterhansel was unable to keep up and gradually conceded ground, although he remained within striking distance.

However, Peugeot was once again afflicted by minor mechanical problems. Loeb, who had accelerator trouble yesterday, had to cope with a faulty turbo management system, as he explained at the end of the stage. In the wake of Sainz and Despres' problems, the succession of little mechanicals is probably keeping Peugeot Sport boss Bruno Famin worried. The DKR 2008 cars will no doubt undergo an extra thorough revision during tomorrow's rest day…

From now until Monday, Sebastien Loeb will be able to savor being in the lead halfway through the race. An outstanding performance already. A new race begins on Monday with a stronger rally raid flavor, more navigation and long off-course sessions. The day of reckoning for Sebastien Loeb, perhaps. Peterhansel, sitting in second place at 2′22″, Sainz at 4′50″ and even Al-Attiyah (Mini) at 17′36″ have been waiting for this all week long…

Antoine Meo won on Bikes Saturday

In the motorcycle category, five-time enduro world champion Antoine Meo won a special in his maiden Dakar today. The shortened stage showed how fast the French rider has adapted to a new field of motor sports and saw him take an impressive triumph. Paulo Goncalves (Honda), who stopped for over 10 minutes to help Matthias Walkner at the start of the stage, should expand his lead on Price (KTM) and Svitko (KTM) after deducting the time lost in the process from his original time today (31st, 12′57″ behind the winner)

The race was also cut short in the quad category, with the stage win going to Argentina's Lucas Bonetto. There were no changes in the overall, with Alejandro Patronelli, fourth today, still in the lead with a margin of 3′36″ over his brother Marcos. Russia's Sergey Karyakin remains third, 7′51″ back.

Eduard Nikolaev stamped his authority on today's truck race, dominating the special from start to end. The Kamaz driver took his second victory on the back of the won he claimed on Thursday. Man's Pieter Versluis capitalized on the poor performance of Hans Stacey (9th at 13′44″) to seize the overall lead. The Dutchman leads fellow countryman Gerard de Rooy (Iveco) by 5′31″ and Russian Ayrat Mardeev (Kamaz) by 10′48″.

2016 Dakar Rally Stage Seven Results
CARS
1. Carlos Sainz (ESP) 03:19:03
2. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) +00:00:38
3. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) +00:03:22
4. Stephane Peterhansel (FRA) +00:03:27
5. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) +00:04:07

BIKES
1. Antoine Meo (FRA) 02:27:27
2. Kevin Benavides (ARG) +00:01:53
3. Paulo Goncalves (POR) +00:01:56
4. Michael Metge (FRA) +00:03:51
5. Helder Rodrigues (PRT) +00:04:28

TRUCKS
1. Eduard Nikolaev (RUS) 03:54:31
2. Ayrat Mardeev (RUS) +00:00:58
3. Pieter Versluis (NLD) +00:01:17
4. Gerard de Rooy (NLD) +00:02:11
5. Andrey Karginov (RUS) +00:06:44

QUADS
1. Lucas Bonetto (ARG) 02:58:30
2. Pablo Copetti (ARG) +00:00:29
3. Walter Nosiglia (BOL) +00:00:54
4. Alejandro Patronelli (ARG) +00:02:34
5. Marcos Patronelli (ARG) +00:03:22

2016 Dakar Rally Overall Standings
CARS
1. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) 21:46:28
2. Stephane Peterhansel (FRA) +00:02:22
3. Carlos Sainz (ESP) +00:04:50
4. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) +00:17:36
5. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) +00:32:53

BIKE
1. Paulo Goncalves (POR) 22:52:30
2. Toby Price (AUS) 00:03:12
3. Stefan Svitko (SVK) +00:09:24
4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHL) +00:18:06
5. Kevin Benavides (ARG) +00:21:01

TRUCKS
1. Pieter Versluis (NLD) 21:01:56
2. Gerard de Rooy (NLD) +00:05:31
3. Ayrat Mardeev (RUS) +00:10:48
4. Eduard Nikolaev (RUS) +00:10:54
5. Hans Stacey (NLD) +00:11:28

QUADS
1. Alejandro Patronelli (ARG) 27:02:31
2. Marcos Patronelli (ARG) +00:03:36
3. Sergei Kariakin (RUS) +00:07:51
4. Jeremias Gonzalez (ARG) +00:26:03
5. Alexis Hernandez (PER) +00:27:09