Ogier had started the final day behind Loeb, after the latter had stolen the lead in a dramatic final special stage on Saturday.
However, Ogier overturned that deficit to beat Loeb by 10.5 seconds to take the win in only his second participation in the race, having finished runner-up last year, and record his third victory of the season.
“I am really happy, this is perfect,” said 27-year-old Ogier, who has won five rallies so far in his career.
“It was a difficult rally for me, I had trouble at the beginning, then I succeeded in finding my rhythm,” added Ogier after he also took the race ending power stage which gave him three additional points in the world championship standings.
Ogier said that he owed a lot to the conditions set down in his new contract drawn up at the end of 2010 to the fact that he could compete with Loeb on equal terms.
“I had another offer when I extended my contract with Citroen at the end of 2010,” said Ogier.
“Being treated the same as Loeb was one of my conditions, because competing against him is already difficult enough, but if he is given extra favours by the team then it is mission impossible.”
Ogier’s equal status with Loeb was clear to see on the Friday and Saturday final special stages when the younger driver slowed up to let Loeb take the lead but also have to start the following day as the lead car — traditionally the most difficult start position.
Loeb reportedly was furious at the team allowing Ogier to have a free hand.
In the end Loeb had to console himself with his 100th career podium placing, including 65 victories, and that he had thwarted his Ford rivals plans to make up any ground on him in a race the team had won seven times since 2000.
Their best placing was Mirko Hirvonen, as last year’s race winner who came into the race 13 points behind Loeb finished third while Norway’s 2003 world champion Petter Solberg took fourth in a Citroen.
Loeb holds a 17 point lead now over Hirvonen with six rallies to go, three of them on his preferred asphalt surface (Germany, Alsace and Catalonia), so still holds the whip hand for what would be an eighth successive world crown.
Loeb, though, was relatively happy with the end result.
“It was a huge fight, we gave our all and ended up losing by 10 seconds, we could not have done more,” said Loeb.
“What I take away from this race most of all, is that we have scored points in this rally where it was imperative we should not lose any.
“We gained a few points on Hirvonen, we lost a few to Ogier, for the moment it is not a bad result but the circumstances during the race didn’t really help my cause,” added Loeb, referring to his starting first on Saturday and Sunday.
Loeb said that the title was now just a three horse race.
“I have always said that Ogier was the main adversary but Hirvonen, contrary to expectations, is still there.
“The others are far behind, therefore it is all to play for between the three of us.”
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