Cyprus: Gronholm dominates

"Everything was perfect today with the car," said the double world champion. "I am obviously very happy. It was important for me and for the team to take this result with the new car."

Gronholm didn't take things easy despite starting the final day in the lead. Through the next six stages he extended that lead to almost a minute. His victory also moves him to the top of the WRC standings.

Reigning World Champion Petter Solberg was the fast guy of the rally, but overheating problems on day one left him outside the points, and performing a salvage operation. He ended up moving through the leader board on the final morning, with a series of stage wins, finally finishing up in sixth overall.

Markko Martin was just 0.1s slower than Solberg on the final 9.49km Kellaki-Foinikaria 2 stage, and he finished the rally in third place overall slowly closing in on Sebastien Loeb.

Loeb took a solid second place overall for Citroen. The team now seems right back on track after the 2004 Xsara's slightly disappointing debut on Rally New Zealand.

Fourth overall went Carlos Sainz after a solid run in the second Citroen, while Harri Rovanpera has nursed his ailing Peugeot to the finish to take fifth place overall despite continuing gearbox troubles. The Finn dropped another 39.1s on the final stage.

Mikko Hirvonen finished seventh behind teammate Solberg in the second Subaru, while Janne Tuohino put in a fine run to eighth taking one point in Ford Focus RS WRC 02 to add to the five he gained as an official factory driver in the 03 car on the Swedish Rally.