Citroen escapes snow scare

Reigning world champion Loeb and new team-mate Duval, who were running 1-2 in their Citroen Xsaras, both spun at the snow-covered corner, which followed a long straight taken in fifth gear, halfway through the 32km stage at a junction where the road begins to descend back down the mountain.

"I know there was no snow on that corner because my gravel crew told me it was clean," said Loeb. "I was braking from fifth gear and the car spun and then ran wide in the corner. We stalled and had to fire it up again so we maybe dropped six or seven seconds."

Despite this both Xsaras completed the stage more than 10s faster than their nearest rival, Ford's Toni Gardemeister, which is an illustration of the team's apparent early dominance of the event, the opening round of the 2005 World Rally Championship.

"Everything is going exactly as I expected," said Loeb. "Francois [Duval] is very strong and I'm pleased to be in front of him. Me being the champion is now history, and I'm pushing as hard as ever. I don't know if I will still be leading tonight, though. The stages this afternoon should be warmer and it will be a huge fight."

Duval, who switched over to Citroen from the work Ford team, is always a threat on asphalt - even the with the unpredictable Monte weather - but nevertheless the Belgian appears to have settled into the world championship winning team quickly.

"I'm pleased with the way it is going," he said after SS3. "I'm comfortable in the car and it's looking good for my first time."