Dakar: Sainz makes winning debut
Twice World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz of Spain marked his Dakar rally debut on Saturday with victory in the opening 370 kms stage from Lisbon to Portimao
Sainz, who won a record 26 World Rally Championship events before retiring this year, completed the 83 kms timed leg 90 seconds ahead of local hero Carlos Sousa. The Portuguese, driving a Nissan, prevented a clean sweep from Volkswagen. Frenchman Bruno Saby was third and Germany's Jutta Kleinschmidt finished fourth.
Mitsubishi made a disappointing start with Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel and Japan's Iroshi Masuoka both suffering punctures.
The second stage will take the field from Portimao to Malaga in Spain over 567 kms, including a 115 kms timed leg.
Cars stage 1 classification:
Pos Driver Make Time 1. Carlos Sainz (Spain) Volkswagen 56:20 2. Carlos Sousa (Portugal) Nissan 57:50 3. Bruno Saby (France) Volkswagen 58:11 4. Jutta Kleinschmidt (Germany) Volkswagen 58:44 5. Guerlain Chicherit (France) BMW 59:22 6. Nani Roma (Spain) Mitsubishi 59:32 7. Luc Alphand (France) Mitsubishi 59:40 8. Giniel de Villiers (South Africa) Volkswagen 59:48 9. Thierry Magnaldi (France) Schlesser-Ford 59:50 10. Mark Miller (United States) Volkswagen 1:00:00 11. Jean-Louis Schlesser (France) Schlesser-Ford 1:00:06 12. Stephane Peterhansel (France) Mitsubishi 1:00:42 13. Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan) Mitsubishi 1:00:54 14. Robby Gordon (United States) Hummer 1:00:59 15. Krzystof Holowczyc (Poland) Nissan 1:01:12 16. Marc Blazquez (Spain) Nissan 1:01:33 17. Salvador Servia Costa (Spain) BMW 1:02:28 18. Jun Mitsuhashi (Japan) Nissan 1:02:31 19. Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) BMW 1:02:34 20. Alfie Cox (South Africa) BMW 1:02:38
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