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Spaniards lead in Dakar rally

Spaniard Isidre Esteve Pujol of KTM passes a mosque on his way to winning the fifth stage of the 29th Dakar Rally between Ouarzazate and Tan Tan on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

Spanish competitors Isidre Esteve Pujol and Carlos Sainz won the motorbike and car sections of the 768km fifth stage of the Dakar rally from Ouarzazate to Tan Tan on Wednesday.

As the rally resumed a day after the death of 29-year-old South African rider Elmer Symons, Pujol, riding a KTM, finished ahead of overall leader Marc Coma and Cyril Despres of France after the 325km timed section.

In the car section, Sainz in a VW came in clear of France's Stephane Peterhansel and South Africa's Giniel De Villiers to consolidate his overall lead.

Pujol's first victory of this year's Dakar, and seventh overall, meant he remained in second spot but cut his deficit to Sainz by nearly two minutes to 9 minutes 56 seconds.

The two Spaniards have already created a gap between them and the rest of the field as the rally leaves Morocco for Mauritania.

Coma and Pujol are virtually the only riders not to have committed an error so far and third-placed Frenchman David Casteu is way back at 37:41 in arrears.

And, after about 100km of Wednesday's stage, Coma and Pujol rode practically together until the finishing line.

Despres, who won this particular stage last year, took third but lost more valuable time to Coma and Pujol and lies 47:33 behind the leader.

Sainz, a former champion in the world rally championship, won the sixth Dakar stage of his career.

He made the most of winding yet fast roads which suited him perfectly to get past Jean-Louis Schlesser and Carlos Sousa on the way to the second timing point at 163km.

Sainz eventually crossed the line with just a 30 second advantage over Peterhansel and 1:41 from VW teammate Villiers.

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