SAINZ WINS DAKAR

WHERE: CORDOBA, ARGENTINA WHEN: JANUARY 20 When Carlos Sainz started this year’s Dakar, a second win on the South American marathon was a long shot. That had nothing to do with him being short on testing in Peugeot’s 3008 DKR Maxi.

Even less to do with him failing to finish the event since 2011. And absolutely nothing to do with the 55 years’ experience he brought to the start in January.

No, the reason a Sainz win was going to be tricky was Peugeot’s emphasis on Sebastien Loeb. Somewhat understandably, the French firm was putting significant resource behind its French star (that’s Loeb, by the way, not his 13-time Dakar winning countryman Stephane Peterhansel…), but when Loeb was forced out after his co-driver Daniel Elena sustained a back injury, the floor belonged to Sainz. Consecutive stage wins either side of the La Paz rest day were enough to nudge El Matador into a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Brilliant drive. And even better story.