Dakar Rally : News from leg 10After a transmission problem at km 63, Polish driver Krzysztof Holowczyc has managed to repair and has set off again on the day's special stage. He has now reached the 92 km mark.
Having stopped due to a broken gear box after 125 km
of the special stage, Frenchman Pascal Thomasse has not been able to repair it, even with the aid of his assistance team, and is now waiting for the broom truck.
The drive shaft that he broke during the Atar-Tichit stage prevented the French team of Eric Vigouroux and Alexandre Winocq from taking starter's orders in yesterday's special stage, meaning that they were disqualified. The crew are now heading for Dakar.
After mechanical problems at 173 of the special stage, the French team of Ronan Chabot and Gilles Pillot are now awaiting their assistance, before being able to restart the special stage.
Now that the first 7 bikes have completed the 10th special stage, Portuguese rider Helder Rodrigues has won his 2nd special stage of the rally, 44" ahead of Spaniard Marc Coma and 51" in front of Frenchman Cyril Despres.
Now that the first 7 cars have finished the 10th special stage, Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah has picked up his first special stage victory on the Dakar, 28" ahead of Japan's Hiroshi Masuoka and 2'08 in front of Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel, leader of the general rankings.
Now that the first 9 trucks have passed through CP2 (after 259 km), Dutchman Arjan Brouwer is the virtual leader of the day's special stage, 2'01 ahead of Czech Tomas Tomecek and 3'18 in front of Brazilian Andre de Azevedo.
