SAINZ CLAIMS DAKAR STAGE VICTORY !
Sainz's win moves him up to second in the overall car standings. Spaniard Carlos Sainz was first in the car section and Portugal's Helder Rodrigues took the motorbike honours in the second stage of the Dakar Rally.
Sainz, driving a Volkswagen, completed the mountainous stage in a time of 59 minutes, 26 seconds.
The ex-world rally champion came home ahead of four Mitsubishis, headed by Luc Alphand who was 29 seconds behind, while Joan Nani Roma was third.
Rodrigues finished in 1:02.44, more than a minute ahead of Ruben Faria.
Faria, who won Saturday's opening stage, was over a minute off the pace while Spain's Isidre Esteve Pujol finished third.
The result moves Rodrigues ahead of Faria at the top of the overall standings.
606 DEBATE: Give your thoughts on the race. Who will win?
"It was a magnificent special stage today, I didn't have the slightest problem," said Rodrigues.
"In my own mind, I knew I had to attack early to get a stage win, but really thought Saturday was my chance, but this is great."
Sainz, 42, is now second in the overall car standings while first-stage winner Carlos Sousa, who finished ninth on Sunday, retained the lead.
The stage, from Portimao in Portugal to Malaga in Spain, was 339 miles long but the competitors were only timed over a 42-mile stretch.
"It was a nice stage but not an easy one," said Sainz, after claiming his fifth Dakar Rally stage win.
"At times, the wheels were spinning a lot and the road was narrow. I enjoyed the Portuguese stages more than last year and we are happy with our results.
"The car is competitive and we managed these two days in Portugal quite well.
"The important thing was to get through these two stages and now we move on to Africa where the picture changes."
Competitors now travel by ferry to Morocco for the 648km third stage between Nador and El Rachidia, which includes a 252km timed special through the desert.
Sainz, driving a Volkswagen, completed the mountainous stage in a time of 59 minutes, 26 seconds.
The ex-world rally champion came home ahead of four Mitsubishis, headed by Luc Alphand who was 29 seconds behind, while Joan Nani Roma was third.
Rodrigues finished in 1:02.44, more than a minute ahead of Ruben Faria.
Faria, who won Saturday's opening stage, was over a minute off the pace while Spain's Isidre Esteve Pujol finished third.
The result moves Rodrigues ahead of Faria at the top of the overall standings.
606 DEBATE: Give your thoughts on the race. Who will win?
"It was a magnificent special stage today, I didn't have the slightest problem," said Rodrigues.
"In my own mind, I knew I had to attack early to get a stage win, but really thought Saturday was my chance, but this is great."
Sainz, 42, is now second in the overall car standings while first-stage winner Carlos Sousa, who finished ninth on Sunday, retained the lead.
The stage, from Portimao in Portugal to Malaga in Spain, was 339 miles long but the competitors were only timed over a 42-mile stretch.
"It was a nice stage but not an easy one," said Sainz, after claiming his fifth Dakar Rally stage win.
"At times, the wheels were spinning a lot and the road was narrow. I enjoyed the Portuguese stages more than last year and we are happy with our results.
"The car is competitive and we managed these two days in Portugal quite well.
"The important thing was to get through these two stages and now we move on to Africa where the picture changes."
Competitors now travel by ferry to Morocco for the 648km third stage between Nador and El Rachidia, which includes a 252km timed special through the desert.
Dakar Rally, stage 2 result
(cars):1 Carlos Sainz (Sp) Volkswagen 59 minutes, 26 seconds2 Luc Alphand (Fr) Mitsubishi 59:553 Joan Nani Roma (Sp) Mitsubishi 59:55 4 Stephane Peterhansel (Fr) Mitsubishi 59:575 Hiroshi Masuoka (Jpn) Mitsubishi 1:00:506 Giniel De Villiers (SA) Volkswagen 1:01:007 Guerlain Checherit (Fr) BMW 1:01:168 Miguel Barbosa (Por) Proto 1:01:169 Carlos Sousa (Por) Volkswagen 1:01:1910 Christian Lavieille (Fr) Nissan 1:02:32
Cars overall standings (after two stages):1 Sousa 2:21:572 Sainz at 0:453 De Villiers at 2:124 Roma at 3:295 Peterhansel at 3:55
Stage 2 result (bikes):1 Helder Rodrigues (Por) Yamaha 1:02:442 Ruben Faria (Por) KTM at 1:033 Isidre Esteve Pujol (Sp) KTM at 1:454 David Casteu (Fr) KTM at 2:105 Marc Coma (Sp) at 2:266 Fabien Planet (Fr) KTM at 2:297 Jean De Azevedo (Brz) at 3:148 David Fretigne (Fr) Yamaha at 3:179 Giovanni Sala (It) KTM at 4:0510 Michel Marchini (Fr) Yamaha at 4:19
Bikes overall standings (after two stages):1 Rodrigues 2:25.072 Faria at 0:473 Pujol at 6:294 Casteu at 7:015 Planet at 8:44
BBC SPORTS NEWS
posted by jackaranda at 7:19 pm
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