South Africa’s Giniel De Villiers was tantalisingly within reach of the Dakar Rally title on Friday as Spanish driver Nani Roma claimed Mitsubishi’s first stage win of the 2009 event.
De Villiers, in a Volkswagen, was eighth on the 13th and penultimate stage, and will take a two minute 20 second lead over teammate Mark Miller of the United States into Saturday’s final stage, which ends in Buenos Aires.
The South African, who inherited the lead when fellow Volkswagen driver Carlos Sainz toppled over into a ravine on Thursday, has a massive one hour, 27 minute and 13 second advantage over third-placed American Robby Gordon in a Hummer.
Friday’s stage was cut from a 545km special stage to a 220km run following heavy overnight rain that had left large parts of the track from La Rioja impassable.
The new course worked wonders for Roma, who gave defending champions Mitsubishi their first stage win and helped ease the misery of seeing their top three drivers — Stephane Peterhansel, Hiroshi Masuoka and Luc Alphand, all former winners — pull out in the first week.
Poland’s Krzystof Holowczyc, in a Nissan, and French driver Guerlain Chicherit, in a BMW, took second and third places respectively on the day.
France’s Cyril Despres, riding a KTM, won the motorcycle section of the stage.
Spain’s Marc Coma was second, one minute 45 seconds behind Despres, and is virtually certain of victory on Saturday as he possesses a one hour 28 minute and three second lead over the Frenchman in the overall standings.
It will be Coma’s second Dakar title after he won in 2006.
David Fretigne, on a Yamaha, was third on the stage.
”It was a pretty tough stage. There wasn’t a lot of navigation, but a lot of riding,” said Coma.
”Saturday will be a long stage. In the previous Dakars, we were used to a short final stage around Lac Rose [in Dakar]. Here, we have 220km of special stage. That’s a lot and a lot can happen too.”
Friday’s shortened run was the sixth stage to be amended in the 2009 race, which is making its debut in South America. The 11th stage on Wednesday was cancelled because of fears over the weather conditions.
The 30th Dakar Rally will finish on Saturday with a 227km special, followed by 341km of liaison into Buenos Aires. — Sapa-AFP