SPAIN’S Carlos Sainz returned to the top of the general standings of the Dakar Rally after winning the seventh stage between Mendoza and Valparaiso yesterday.

QATAR’S Nasser Al Attiyah was thrown out of the Dakar Rally, which he was leading, last night after missing a control point on the sixth stage, race organisers said.

SPAIN’S domination of the first half of the Dakar Rally continued apace yesterday as both former world rally champion Carlos Sainz and Marc Coma won the fourth stage of the car and motorbike disciplines, respectively.

TWO days from the arrival in Dakar just as the rally was entering Senegal, the motorbike race was hit by another bombshell yesterday with Marc Coma’s serious crash after only 57 kilometres of the special stage.

The 11th stage of the Dakar Rally offered its competitors a well-deserved break from timed action, meaning Mitsubishi’s Stephane Peterhansel retains his lead at the head of the standings with just four stages left to run.

BMW secured their first triumph of the 2007 Dakar Rally after Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah surged to victory on the 10th stage in Mauritania.

SOUTH AFRICAN Giniel de Villiers took the lead on day seven of the Dakar Rally after Volkswagen teammate Carlos Sainz lost nearly five minutes in the sand dunes of Mauritania.

Former world rally champion Colin McRae took the lead in the Dakar Rally after winning the third stage.

FORMER skiing champion Luc Alphand admitted his relief at winning the Dakar Rally, although the event was overshadowed by three deaths during the race.

Former skiing champion Luc Alphand admitted his relief at winning the Dakar Rally, although the event was overshadowed by three deaths during the race.

Stephane Peterhansel’s chances of a third successive victory in the Dakar Rally suffered a blow when problems to his rear left wheel lost him three hours on stage 12 winner Luc Alphand.

Stephane Peterhansel lost his way on stage 11 of the Dakar Rally but remains on course for a third successive victory.

Carlos Sainz returned to form to win the 10th stage of the Dakar Rally today.

FORMER world champion Carlos Sainz reclaimed the lead of the Dakar Rally as Mitsubishi’s bid for a sixth consecutive win hit the skids.

Former world champion Carlos Sainz reclaimed the lead of the Dakar Rally as Mitsubishi’s bid for a sixth consecutive win hit the skids.

Nani Roma leads the overall standings in the Dakar Rally for the first time after making his experience count on the first desert stage of the event.

Carlos Sainz kept up his perfect start to the Dakar Rally with a second stage win in Portugal.

Dakar Rally legend Stephane Peterhansel has warned his rivals he is hungry for even more success as he goes looking for a ninth victory on the desert marathon.

Stephane Peterhansel claimed his second successive four-wheeled Dakar title after he finished 11th on the 16th and final stage of the event yesterday.

Stephane Peterhansel claimed his second successive four-wheeled Dakar title after he finished 11th on the 16th and final stage of the event on Sunday.

STEPHANE PETERHANSEL won stage 13 of the Dakar Rally yesterday to extend his overall lead.

Stephane Peterhansel won stage 13 of the Dakar Rally today to extend his overall lead.

Alastair Moffitt

Alastair Moffitt

Spanish biker Jose Manuel Perez has died following injuries sustained on this year’s Dakar Rally.

DEFENDING champion Stephane Peterhansel moved into the overall lead of the Dakar Rally with his second stage victory on day seven.

Colin McRae will fly back to Britain today after seeing his Dakar Rally hopes disappear in the Saharan dust.

Former world champion Colin McRae is tonight the overall leader in the Dakar Rally, after winning his second special stage on day five between Agadir and Smara.

Robby Gordon became the first US driver in a car to win a special on the Dakar Rally as he clocked the fastest time on the opening stage of the event.

Colin McRae suffered a double dose of bad luck on the Dakar Rally today.

COLIN McRAE followed up his first-ever stage win on the Dakar Rally by taking second place yesterday.

Colin McRae scored his first-ever stage victory on the Dakar Rally today to finally banish memories of his sand dune difficulties.

Cyril Despres believes the unexpected weekend off for Dakar Rally competitors may have harmed his hopes of winning the 6,800-mile trek across two continents.

Dakar Rally competitors are enjoying an unexpected weekend off after security fears caused the cancellation of two stages.

COLIN MCRAE’S dreams of Dakar Rally glory were lying in tatters last night following a second consecutive mechanical failure.

Colin McRae’s dreams of Dakar Rally glory lie in tatters tonight following a second consecutive mechanical failure.

Colin McRae survived the longest stage of the Dakar Rally with his top-three position intact and admitted he was surprised at the pace of the more experienced competitors.

Colin McRae retained his top-three position in the Dakar Rally today after surviving a scare on the 700-kilometre trek to Mauritania in western Africa.

Colin McRae scored his first podium finish on the Dakar Rally today to put his speeding penalty to the back of his mind.

Colin McRae survived the longest stage yet of the Dakar Rally in an impressive sixth overall today.

Colin McRae will cram three days work into one flat-out blast through the African desert today as he looks to build on a fine start to the Dakar Rally.

Colin McRae proved the desert sands of Africa hold no fear as he recorded a best-yet stage finish of fourth on the Dakar Rally today.

Colin McRae continued his impressive early form in the Dakar Rally today to ensure he finished the European leg of the event in the top 10.