Peterhansel shows class as 'serious stuff' looms
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Your support makes all the difference.Stephane Peterhansel extended his lead in the Dakar Rally with a dominating performance to win the fourth stage yesterday.
The Frenchman set a time of 18min 26sec over the 25-kilometre special stage from Tunis to Tozeur to extend his advantage overall to 1min 23sec from nearest challenger Giniel de Villiers.
Mitsubishi driver Peterhansel was 22 seconds faster than Gregoire de Mevius, who finished second on yesterday's stage while De Villiers could only manage the fifth quickest time. That time, though, was enough to lift De Villiers above Hiroshi Masuoka into second after the Japanese driver clocked the seventh fastest time.
Peterhansel admitted yesterday he had not enjoyed a trouble-free day. He said: "The special was very short and enjoyable. We attacked quite a lot and therefore made mistakes. It was a very slippery special that looks like a World Rally Championship special stage. The serious stuff starts tomorrow."
The bike category was marred by an accident involving Spaniard Rodolfo Garcia Mochales, who fell from his Honda and suffered a double arm fracture. Mochales, who had been running just outside the top 100, was helicoptered to hospital in Tunis. Isidre Esteve Pujol pulled off a surprise stage victory on his KTM to move up to seventh overall. But Richard Sainct's fourth fastest time of the day was enough to keep him on top overall.
Johannes de Rooy still leads the truck class after another stage win, with son Gerardus dropping valuable seconds yesterday to fall over two minutes adrift in second.
Today sees the longest stage yet of the event with the competitors racing the 285km between Tozeur and El Borma.
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