Unstoppable Sainz leads at end of day two
Carlos Sainz has led the Cyprus Rally from the start to the end of the second day and is now looking a near certain bet for his 23rd WRC victory when the event finishes in Limassol tomorrow afternoon
Although today's stages have seen much closer competition than yesterday, and Sainz managed to set just one fastest time, the Spaniard has never looked troubled.
He leads team mate Colin McRae by just over a minute with Francois Delecour third for Peugeot and Richard Burns slipping to fourth after first breaking a front damper and then suffering propshaft failure on his Subaru.
If the positions stay as they are at the end of play tomorrow, Marcus Gronholm, despite retiring yesterday, will continue to lead the series but McRae, Burns and Sainz will round off a top four that is covered by just seven points.
SEAT lost Toni Gardemeister today after a relatively minor accident which forced the Finn into retirement.
Tomorrow sees six more stages and the problem of 'cleaning' may return to throw a lifeline to Burns in his bid to overhaul at least the Peugeot of Delecour. The final stage begins just after 1300 (BST).
For the standings after leg two, click HERE.
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