Giniel de Villiers Wins 11th Stage of Dakar Rally

Topics:  Dakar Rally, Giniel De Villiers

VOA Sports
January 11, 2006

South African Giniel de Villiers has won the 11th stage of the Dakar Rally, but Frenchman Stephane Peterhansel has the overall lead in the car section.

De Villiers finished the 231- kilometer timed section between Kayes and Bamako, Mali in 3:07:01.

His Volkswagen teammate Bruno Saby of France was second 5:33 back. Former overall leader Luc Alphand of France in a Mitsubishi was third.

Peterhansel leads Alphand in the overall seconds by more than 25 minutes. De Villiers is third overall, 42:19 off the lead.

In the motorcycle section, French rider Alain Duclos aboard a KTM won in 3:16:40. Spain's Marc Coma was second, 1:27 back, with American Jonah Street third, 6:39 off the lead, also aboard a KTM.

Coma's second-placed finish strengthened his lead in the overall standings. The Spaniard leads Cyril Despres of France by more than 34 minutes.

Thursday's stage is an 872-kilometer ride from Bamako to Labé in Guinea. The rally ends in Dakar, Senegal Sunday.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.