Sainz wins again for Volkswagen

The 275-km special from Ayoun to Kayes follows on from yesterday's untimed connection and sets the stage for the final part of the rally in Senegal.

Two-time rally champion Sainz completed today's special in less than three hours to offer Volkswagen some consolation following their disappointing last couple of days, when the German manufacturer lost all chances of fighting for victory.

Sainz, in tenth position over seven hours behind leader Stefan Peterhansel, beat teammate Carlos Sousa nearly four minutes and Frenchman Luc Alphand by nearly five to score his third stage win of 2007.

Thanks to his third place in today's stage, Alphand, the current champion, has closed the gap to Mitsubishi teammate Peterhansel after the Frenchman, sixth today, lost over three minutes to the former world cup skier.

With only three timed stages remaining in the Dakar, eight-time winner Peterhansel is just six and a half minutes ahead of Alphand in the overall standings.

Third-placed Jean-Louse Schlesser seems to be out of contention, over 1.5 hours behind the leader.

Qatari driver Nasser Al Attiyah continued with his strong performance in the event, finishing in third place with his BMW. Mitsubishi's Nani Roma was fourth fastest today, as the Japanese squad continue without a stage win this year.

Tomorrow's stage, the first on Senegali soil, will take drivers from Kayes to Tambacounda in a 260-km timed special.

Organisers said on there were still 112 cars competing ahead of today's stage.

Stage 12 classification:

Pos Driver        Make           Time
 1. Sainz         Volkswagen    2h:58:56
 2. Sousa         Volkswagen     +  3:53
 3. Alphand       Mitsubishi     +  4:52
 4. Al Attiyah    BMW            +  6:10
 5. Roma          Mitsubishi     +  6:32
 6. Peterhansel   Mitsubishi     +  8:19
 7. Holowczyc     Nissan         +  9:58
 8. Miller        Volkswagen     + 10:07
 9. Shmakov       Buggy          + 11:19
10. Schlesser     Schlesser      + 11:31

Overall standings after stage 12:

Pos Driver       Make             Time
 1. Peterhansel  Mitsubishi       40h42:34
 2. Alphand      Mitsubishi      +    6:29
 3. Schlesser    Schlesser-Ford  + 1h34:02
 4. Al Attiyah   BMW             + 1h58:04
 5. Miller       Volkswagen      + 2h15:55
 6. Masuoka      Mitsubishi      + 2h27:10
 7. Sousa        Volkswagen      + 5h16:21
 8. Gordon       Hummer          + 7h02.47
 9. Sainz        Volkswagen      + 7h37:40
10. Henrard      Volkswagen      + 7h51:39