Sordo springs surprise as Loeb keeps grip on crown

WORLD Rally champion Sebastien Loeb had to fend off Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo as he opened his defence of the crown in Monaco.

Frenchman Loeb holds the lead in the Monte Carlo Rally, opening round of the 2007 world championship, but swapped stage wins several times with Sordo after yesterday’s special stages.

Spaniard Sordo took the opening stage of the day, the third of the rally, and Loeb won the next. Sordo and Loeb then won alternate stages from numbers five to eight, the last of the day, as Loeb closed 25.2 seconds ahead.