Toyota‘s Nasser Al-Attiyah won the penultimate stage of the 2018 Dakar Rally, claiming his third win of the race by 11 minutes and 16 seconds from Lucio Alvarez.
Spaniard Carlos Sainz was one stage away from winning the Dakar Rally on Friday but Peugeot’s hopes of a one-two finish in Argentina disappeared.
This after reigning champion Stephane Peterhansel clipped a tree with his front left wheel on a bend that was hidden by a bump.
Sainz, father of the Renault Formula One driver of the same name, ended the penultimate 13th stage from San Juan to Cordoba with a lead of 46 minutes and 18 seconds over Al-Attiyah.
The Spaniard took no risks on the 929km long stage, which was dominated by al-Attiyah. He finished 19 minutes and 37 seconds behind the Qatari.
Peterhansel’s delay after his accident, meant he lost about an hour and fell behind al-Attiyah in the standings.
Toyota’s Dutch driver Bernhard ten Brinke retired with mechanical problems.
In the motorcycle category, Austrian KTM rider Matthias Walkner ended the day with a 22 minute lead over Argentina’s Kevin Benavides on a Honda.
Australian Toby Price, the 2016 winner, took his second successive stage win.
