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.

NASSER Al Attiyah reclaimed the lead from Carlos Sainz in their Dakar Rally duel last night.

Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel believes rival Carlos Sainz starts favourite for the Dakar Rally which makes its first appearance in South America tomorrow.

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.

FORMER World Rally champion, Carlos Sainz, claimed his third stage victory of the 2007 Dakar Rally as he raced into Kayes almost four minutes ahead of the field.

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.

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.

CARLOS SAINZ tightened his grip on the Dakar Rally with victory on the fifth stage in Morocco.

JEAN-LOUIS SCHLESSER finally broke the Volkswagen stranglehold on the 2007 Dakar Rally after winning stage four of the endurance event, but the result was overshadowed by the death of a competitor in the motorbike category.

Reigning champion Luc Alphand is looking to join the ranks of motorsport’s elite by claiming victory in the 2007 Dakar Rally, which gets under way in Portugal tomorrow.

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.

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 yesterday. The former world rally champion was first to the finishing line at Kayes in Mali after the 175-mile stage from the Mauritanian town of Kiffa.

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

STEPHANE PETERHANSEL has called for a combined Mitsubishi effort to defeat Volkswagen’s main challenger Giniel de Villiers in the Dakar Rally.

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.

World rally champion Sebastien Loeb delighted his home crowd by winning the Race of Champions in the Stade de France tonight.

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.

The two-wheeled Dakar Rally resumes today after a day of mourning for the late former champion Fabrizio Meoni.

Stephane Peterhansel retained his overall lead in the Dakar Rally today as Giniel de Villiers took victory on stage 12.

Alastair Moffitt

Alastair Moffitt

SANDSTORMS in the Mauritanian desert forced the cancellation of yesterday’s eighth stage of the 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 the overall leader in the Dakar Rally, after winning his second special stage on day five between Agadir and Smara.

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.

American Robby Gordon won his second special stage on the Dakar Rally to reclaim the overall lead on day four as Britain’s Colin McRae dropped down the order.

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 has victory in his sights as he prepares for just his second assault on the epic Dakar Rally.

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.

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.