Peterhansel Extends Dakar Lead
Defending champion Stephane Peterhansel hammered home his advantage in the Dakar Rally on Thursday when he clinched the 13th stage to extend his overall lead in the gruelling event over countryman Luc Alphand. The Frenchman came home in his Mitsubishi to win his fourth special of Dakar-2005 - a 370km run from Bamako en route to Kayes, Mali - in three hours, 30 minutes and seven seconds. He was 4:17 ahead of compatriot and team-mate Luc Alphand and 7:59 ahead of Giniel De Villiers, driving a Nissan.
In the overall standings, Peterhansel increased his lead to 27:33 over Alphand, and 1h 30:55 over Germany’s Jutta Kleinschmidt, driving a Volkswagen.
“It was a really fast stage today, especially at the beginning,” said Peterhansel.
“We started in second position this morning, and after 100km we overtook De Villiers. We put him under pressure and he lost control of his car, so it was easier to pass him.
“Then we controlled the gap because with the dust we knew it was very hard to overtake us. Still three days before the podium but the race isn’t over yet.”
Australia’s Andy Caldecott, riding a KTM, won the motorcycle section.
Caldecott completed the special in three hours, 51 minutes and 41 seconds, more than two minutes ahead of France’s David Fretigne on a Yamaha and 3:32 ahead of American Chris Blais, also riding a KTM.
“It was very hard, especially with all the dust,” admitted Caldecott.
“I just had a small problem when I hit something on the road, but as I wasn’t riding very fast at that moment, I didn’t lose any time.”
The Australian said that the event had been overshadowed by the deaths of fellow competitors Fabrizio Meoni and Jose Manuel Perez.
“Everybody drove slowly because nobody is racing for victory. We just want to make it to Dakar safely. Sometimes today, I was thinking of Fabrizio, but immediately I tried to refocus because too much thinking can be very dangerous for a biker when he’s riding.”
Frenchman Cyril Despres finished seventh, 8:18 off the pace, but remains at the top of the overall standings, 16 minutes ahead of Spain’s Marc Coma and 20:39 ahead of Alfie Cox of South Africa.
The 14th stage on Friday sees the competitors facing a 630km ride, including a 529km timed special, between Kayes and Tambacounda, Senegal.
