Record 14-times Dakar Rally winner Stephane Peterhansel crashed out of Friday's sixth stage in Saudi Arabia, while Audi teammate Carlos Sainz also hit trouble in a big boost for reigning champion Nasser al-Attiyah.
French veteran Peterhansel, known as “Mr Dakar”, was second overnight, 22 minutes and 36 seconds behind the Toyota Hilux of Qatar's Al-Attiyah, and was setting the pace in the special stage when he crashed after 212km.
Organisers said co-driver Edouard Boulanger was taken to hospital in Buraydah for further examinations after suffering back pain.
Four times champion Al-Attiyah won the sandy stage, his third victory in this year's event, finishing nearly three-and-a-half minutes clear of France's nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb.
Al-Attiyah leads South African teammate Henk Lategan by an hour and six minutes in the overall standings. South Africa's Giniel de Villiers, in another Hilux, moved into fourth overall behind Overdrive Racing's Lucas Moraes.
Triple Dakar winner Sainz, who was fourth overall at the start of the day, crashed at the same place as Peterhansel, without injury, and was waiting to repair the car before trying to resume the rally.
Saudi Arabia's Yazeed al Rajhi, who started the day third overall for Overdrive Racing, stopped after 216km, with his Toyota suffering mechanical problems.
Peterhansel crashes out of Dakar as Toyota's Al-Attiyah streaks ahead
SA's Henk Lategan moves into second in another Toyota Hilux
Image: Reuters
Record 14-times Dakar Rally winner Stephane Peterhansel crashed out of Friday's sixth stage in Saudi Arabia, while Audi teammate Carlos Sainz also hit trouble in a big boost for reigning champion Nasser al-Attiyah.
French veteran Peterhansel, known as “Mr Dakar”, was second overnight, 22 minutes and 36 seconds behind the Toyota Hilux of Qatar's Al-Attiyah, and was setting the pace in the special stage when he crashed after 212km.
Organisers said co-driver Edouard Boulanger was taken to hospital in Buraydah for further examinations after suffering back pain.
Four times champion Al-Attiyah won the sandy stage, his third victory in this year's event, finishing nearly three-and-a-half minutes clear of France's nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb.
Al-Attiyah leads South African teammate Henk Lategan by an hour and six minutes in the overall standings. South Africa's Giniel de Villiers, in another Hilux, moved into fourth overall behind Overdrive Racing's Lucas Moraes.
Triple Dakar winner Sainz, who was fourth overall at the start of the day, crashed at the same place as Peterhansel, without injury, and was waiting to repair the car before trying to resume the rally.
Saudi Arabia's Yazeed al Rajhi, who started the day third overall for Overdrive Racing, stopped after 216km, with his Toyota suffering mechanical problems.
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Qatar’s Al-Attiyah takes Dakar lead as Sainz hits trouble
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