Pain for Sainz as De Villiers takes the lead

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.

Spaniard Sainz, a former world rally champion, trails De Villiers by one minute and 39 seconds after coming home third as the rally passed from Zouerat to Atar.

De Villiers took the stage win, with France’s former winner Stephane Peterhansel second in the Mitsubishi.