Former champ Sainz forced out of Dakar

FORMER champion Carlos Sainz of Spain has been forced out of the Dakar Rally after his Peugeot was badly damaged in an accident, his team said yesterday.

Sainz, the 2010 Dakar winner, is the second top auto competitor to quit the race in South America after former two-time winner Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar.

The Spaniard lost control of his vehicle which rolled over just five kilometres from the finish of Thursday’s gruelling fourth stage between San Salvador de Jujuy in Argentina and Tupiza in Bolivia.

“It appears that the necessary work cannot be carried out within the time allowed,” Peugeot Sport said in a statement.

“I’m obviously very disappointed,” said Sainz, also a twotime world rally champion in 1990 and 1992.

Sainz had been provisionally third in the standings when misfortune hit more than seven minutes behind French race leader and Peugeot teammate Cyril Despres.

The 54-year-old took to the road again after two hours stranded but finished 2hr 19min behind Despres, ending his hopes of winning the race.

The 521km fourth stage of the Dakar Rally proved fatal for several key challengers.

Yesterday’s fifth stage was from Tupiza to Oruro in Bolivia, with Despres leading the auto race and Joan Barreda in charge of the moto event. — AFP