Schlesser wins stage on tragic day

Two-time Dakar rally winner Schlesser, in his Ford-powered buggy, completed today's 405-km special in nearly four hours to finish almost eight minutes ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz in the first of the Volkswagens.

With his second place, Sainz consolidates his lead in the rally, the Spanish former world rally champion nearly two minutes ahead of his teammate Giniel de Villiers, fourth today behind Nani Roma, the quickest of the Mitsubishi drivers.

Today's victory moves Schlesser into seventh place in the standings, 18 minutes behind Sainz, whose Volkswagen team still dominate the standings thanks to de Villiers and Portuguese Carlos Sousa, who kept his third position after coming home in sixth in today's stage.

The day, however, was marked by the death of South African rider Symons, who crashed his bike 142 kms into the stage.

The 29-year-old, taking part in his first Dakar as a competitor, was found dead when one of the Dakar organization's helicopters reached the site of the crash.

Symons is the rally's 49th fatality.

"Today at 9.16, the race headquarters received an intrack alert coming from km 142 of the fourth stage from Er Rachidia to Ouarzazate," a Dakar statement said.

"On the site of the crash by helicopter eight minutes later, the race direction could only record the death, confirmed 10 minutes later by the medical helicopter."

Tomorrow's stage will again take place in Morocco, with a 325-km special from Ouarzazate to Tan Tan.

Stage 4 classification:

Pos Driver        Make                Time
 1. Schlesser     Schlesser-Ford      3h59.54
 2. Sainz         Volkswagen          +  7.58
 3. Roma          Mitsubishi          +  8.05
 4. De Villiers   Volkswagen          +  8.51
 5. Masuoka       Mitsubishi          +  9.30
 6. Sousa         Volkswagen          + 10.52
 7. Alphand       Mitsubshi           + 12.09
 8. Chicherit     BMW                 + 13.27
 9. Rousselot     Nissan              + 23.56
10. Peterhansel   Mitsubishi          + 25.56


Overall standings after stage 4:

Pos Driver           Make            Time
 1. Sainz            Volkswagen      9h17.11
 2. De Villiers      Volkswagen      +  1.55
 3. Sousa            Volkswagen      +  7.20
 4. Roma             Mitsubishi      + 11.44
 5. Masuoka          Mitsubishi      + 12.49
 6. Alphand          Mitsubishi      + 16.10
 7. Schlesser        Schlesser-Ford  + 18.20
 8. Chicherit        BBMW            + 18.28
 9. Peterhansel      Mitsubishi      + 24.01
10. Miller           Volkswagen      + 41.54