Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Sainz, Despres emerge Dakar Rally champions
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 17 - 01 - 2010

Rally great Carlos Sainz won the Dakar Rally with the closest finish in history Saturday by tailing his Volkswagen teammate and rival Nasser Al-Attiyah on the last fast stage.
Al-Attiyah started the 14th stage trailing only Sainz by 2 minutes, 48 seconds overall, and won the 206-kilometer (128-mile) sprint from San Rafael to San Carlos de Bolivar.
But Sainz was only 36 seconds behind in finishing second.
After 47 hours, 14 stages and two weeks driving the world's toughest auto race through Argentina and Chile, Sainz finally won the Dakar at his fourth attempt by just 2:12.VW won for the second straight year, and completed a sweep of the podium, with Mark Miller of the United States third overall, 32:51 behind. It had been Sainz, Al-Attiyah and Miller in that order since the fifth stage.
Sainz won two stages, Al-Attiyah four, and Miller one. At least one VW was on the podium after each stage.
Stephane Peterhansel of France, a three-time car winner in a BMW, was fourth, still more than two hours back, and 2009 champion Giniel de Villiers of South Africa, another VW driver, was seventh.
Cyril Despres of France inevitably won his third motorbike crown. He'd led the Dakar since the third stage, and was content to finish sixth on Saturday and still win overall by more than an hour on his KTM.
Sainz, the two-time world rally champion from Spain, led the 2007 Dakar for four days and led last year's until crashing out with two stages to go. This time, he and navigator Lucas Cruz were patient, fast and mistake-free to win their third successive rally together.
The Spanish pair also won the Dos Sertoes in Brazil last summer and the Silk Way in September.
“A very, very important day for me,” Sainz said. “I won in Europe, in Spain, and today in the Dakar. I am really happy and relieved.
“We drove very fast, but we were clever, too,” he added.
He'd led since the fifth stage and only Al-Attiyah threatened to derail his chance. The Qatari, a four-time Olympic shooter who led the Dakar early last year only to be disqualified for skipping part of the trail, shaved what was a 10-minute lead by Sainz on Tuesday, even banging into the Spaniard's car on Friday.
But he ran out of stages.
He won the last in 1:19:42, followed by Sainz then Guerlain Chicherit of France in a BMW, just 43 seconds back.
“This morning I really went for it but we knew the stage would be a long straight line,” Al-Attiyah said. “I'm happy for Carlos. He did his job, I tried to do mine. Next year, I'll win.”
Despres' support rider Ruben Faria of Portugal won the last motorbike stage, and Pal Anders Ullevalseter of Norway was next, 3:45 behind, to ensure finishing second overall.
Despres' overall winning time was 51:10:37, which was 1:02:52 ahead of Ullevalseter's KTM. The Aprilia of Francisco Lopez Contardo of Chile was third, another seven minutes back.


Clic here to read the story from its source.