adminSAN JUAN, Argentina – Spaniard Nani Roma (Mini) moved into the Dakar Rally lead after winning Stage 3 of the 2014 Dakar Rally on Tuesday while favourite Stephane Peterhansel had a nightmare day.
Frenchman Peterhansel began the day in the overall lead after winning Monday’s run but took six punctures and eventually came home 28th and more than 28 minutes behind Roma.
In the overall standings, Roma is now leading three Minis with Argentine Orlando Terranova second and Nasser al-Attiyah of Qatar third. Peterhansel is down in fifth place overall but 24min08 behind Roma in the race.
Peterhansel, 11-times winner (six times on two wheels, five times on four), admitted he had not enjoyed the 301km timed section from San Rafael to San Juan.
“I’ve never known a Dakar stage like it,” he said. “It was a nightmare today. We punctured six times! On the first I hit a big rock, that’s my fault, but then we were the first to go out and we found ourselves completely off-piste in very tall vegetation thanks to a last-gasp swerve due to bad weather and mud.
“When we got out of that we had three slow punctures out of four wheels. As we were the first car we cleared the track for the rest. We were thrown into the lion’s den but I can’t see how we could have done anything differently.
“We couldn’t have imagined that in clearing a path in the vegetation we’d get three punctures out of four wheels.”
Roma told the official Dakar website later: “You know, sometimes the Dakar is crazy and this stage was like that. The drivers in front of me had some problems and I tried to be really concentrated all through the stage and not make mistakes.
“Anyway, I’ve got here, and I’m happy, but on the Dakar Valparaiso is still far. We need to really concentrate every day.”
South Africa’s Leeroy Poulter (Toyota Hilux) finished the day third and is 10th overall while team mate Giniel de Villiers is now sixth overall.
In the motorcycle section, Spaniard Joan Barreda (Honda) increased his overall lead on the stage, a 292km timed special. Frenchman Cyril Despres (Yamaha) was second on the day and Spain’s Marc Coma (KTM) third. The three remain 1, 2 and 3 in the overall standings. – Wheels24.
Online Reporter