French driver Stephane Peterhansel increased his lead in the Dakar Rally on Friday after placing third in the ninth stage between Sabha and Zilla in Libya.
Peterhansel of Mitsubishi was one minute behind stage winner Ari Vatanen of Finland in a Nissan with Frenchman Jean-Pierre Fontenay of Mitsubishi second seven seconds behind.
It was the Finn's first stage success since his last appearance in the event in 1996.
Peterhansel increased his overall lead on Hiroshi Masuoka to 16 minutes and 52 seconds after the Japanese Mitsubishi driver suffered six punctures during the day. Belgian Gregoire De Mevius is third for BMW at one hour, nine minutes and 50 seconds.
In the motorbike section, Richard Sainct won on a KTM to take a one-minute-10-seconds overall lead ahead of Italian KTM rider Fabrizio Meoni, who was second.
Spanish rider Joan Nani Roma, sitting third at the starting line, withdrew for the third straight year after a crash in which he hurt his back.
Meanwhile, Japanese driver Kenjiro Shinozuka was still recovering in a hospital in Tunis after surviving an horrific crash in the eighth stage Thursday.
Shinozuka, who won the race in 1997, was flown to the Tunisian capital after overturning his Nissan pick-up in the Libyan desert.
It was originally feared the 54-year-old had suffered brain damage and chest injuries but scans showed he had escaped with fractured bones to his cheeks and nose.
Race organizers said on Friday that Shinozuka's condition was "reassuring"and that he had woken up after undergoing surgery on his face.
"Shinozuka is no longer under breathing assistance and is slowly waking up," said a statement from the race organizers.
"His life is no longer in danger but he is suffering from major injuries."
One of the doctors treating him said Shinozuka would remain under supervision in the Tunis hospital before being flown to Paris.
RSS