Thierry Neuville leads in Cyprus as Andreas Mikkelsen spins

Mikkelsen (Skoda UK) had extended his overnight lead by winning the opening Koilinia stage. But a spin on Salamiou then cost him 16.8 seconds to Neuville and gave the Kronos Peugeot driver an 8.8s advantage.

With reigning champion Juho Hanninen having crashed his Skoda early on SS2, Neuville and Mikkelsen both know that they will take the IRC title if they win the rally.

Current points leader Jan Kopecky is a cautious third at present in the remaining works Skoda, 21.2s off the lead, and 4s ahead of 2010 Cyprus winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, whose Ford has had a suspected differential problem this morning.

Freddy Loix, the other IRC title contender, is a minute off the pace in sixth as he tries to get back up to speed on gravel after three years of predominantly asphalt competition. His BFO Skoda is running just behind Skoda Sweden's Patrik Sandell.

Leading positions after SS3:

Pos  Driver             Team/Car               Time/Gap
 1.  Thierry Neuville   Kronos/Peugeot Belux   35m12.1s
 2.  Andreas Mikkelsen  Skoda UK                 + 8.8s
 3.  Jan Kopecky        Skoda                   + 21.2s
 4.  Nasser Al-Attiyah  Barwa Ford              + 25.2s
 5.  Patrik Sandell     Skoda Sweden            + 56.2s
 6.  Freddy Loix        BFO Skoda             + 1m01.1s
 7.  Karl Kruuda        ME3 Skoda             + 1m28.1s
 8.  Matthias Kahle     Skoda Deutschland     + 1m46.1s
 9.  Toshi Arai         Arai Subaru           + 2m00.9s
10.  Mark Wallenwein    Skoda Deutschland     + 2m01.6s