Japan’s Hiroshi Masuoka in a Mitsubishi extended his overall lead in the Dakar Rally after winning the 11th stage on Tuesday.
Japan’s Hiroshi Masuoka in a Mitsubishi extended his overall lead in the Dakar Rally after winning the 11th stage from Atar to Tidjikja in Mauritania on Tuesday.
Masuoka, who won in a time of five minutes 40 seconds, was helped after his main competitors suffered minor setbacks during the 467km stage. His team-mate Kenjiro Shinozuka finished second and defending champion Jutta Kleinschmidt, also in a Mitsubishi, came in third. Both suffered flat tyres, Shinozuka’s being more severe after he collided with a tree and also damaged the front of his vehicle.
Masuoka has an 18-minute lead over Shinozuka in the overall standings, while Kleinschmidt remains in third place more than 30 minutes behind the leader.
“It was a good day for me,” said Masuoka. “The stage was not the most difficult, but it was long and there were so many jumps. We were flying. Maybe now I will take a licence to fly an aeroplane!
“The camel grass was quite tough and Jutta and ‘Shino’ had problems.”
Belgium’s Gregoire de Mevius in the SA-built Nissan finished the stage in sixth place, but after his setbacks in the weekend stage he is far off the pace.
In the motorcycle section, Chile’s Carlo de Gavardo beat Spain’s Joan Roma by one minute and 55 seconds to win the stage.
Overall leader Fabrizio Meoni of Italy came in third, while Frenchman Richard Sainct was fourth. South African Alfie Cox finished fifth to hang on to his fourth place in the overall standings. He is 13min 10 sec behind the leader.
The race moves west towards the remote village of Tichit on Wednesday. The 482km competitive section comprises tricky navigation, stony and sandy terrain and camel grass.