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 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.

TWO-TIME defending champion Hiroshi Masuoka of Japan surged into the lead in the Dakar Rally after winning the sixth stage, a 351km special from Ouarzazate to Tan-Tan in Morocco.

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 claimed an impressive ninth place on today’s second stage of the Dakar Rally as the event headed to Spain.

Former World Rally Champion Colin McRae acquitted himself well on his first taste of the Dakar Rally – but he expects matters to get much harder when the event hits Africa.

JAPANESE driver Kenjiro Shinozuka, the 1997 auto champion, made a winning start in the 1.5km prologue of the 26th Dakar Rally which got underway despite heavy snow yesterday.

Colin McRae made a creditable start to his first-ever Dakar Rally by posting the 28th quickest time on today’s first stage.

Three-times Dakar Rally winner Richard Sainct has his sights set on another victory when the world’s most famous motorcycle race reaches the capital of Senegal on January 18.

Japan’s Hiroshi Masuoka retained his Dakar Rally title after battling through the final stage in Egypt today.

Former world rally champion Ari Vatanen won the 15th stage of the Dakar Rally today with Hiroshi Masuoka valiantly keeping the fight for overall victory alive.

REIGNING champion Hiroshi Masuoka won yesterday’s fifth stage of the Dakar Rally in Tunisia to snatch the overall lead of the event from Stephane Peterhansel.

STEPHANE PETERHANSEL snatched the lead of the Dakar Rally yesterday with the fastest time on stage two.

The 25th running of the world’s toughest motorsport race, the Dakar Rally, will not end in the West African city on January 19.