Paris-Dakar rally draws the crowds

The Paris-Dakar rally, starting in France for the first time in four years, drew huge crowds for the first stage on Thursday.

Some 68,000 people watched the single 12km timed special section at La Chatre, won by amateur Frenchman Francois Flick on a Honda motorbike in nine minutes 33 seconds.

Flick saw off Italy's Fabio Fasola by eight seconds in the motorcycling category, and Germany's Jurgen Mayer was another four seconds back.

French race favourite Stephane Peterhansel, a five-time winner of the event, decided against taking early risks on his Yamaha and came in 15th, 45 seconds adrift of Flick.

About 10,000 people saw the competitors off from Versailles outside Paris, the fifth time the long-distance rally has started at the chateau.

The 938km stage ended at Narbonne in the south of France where Friday's second stage starts.

Frenchman Bruno Saby, race winner in 1993, drove the fastest car in the timed section, the only driver under 10 minutes in his Mitsubishi with 9:45.

"I just attack the course and try to go as fast as possible," he said.

Saby was delighted to have started in style, beating last year's winner Kenjiro Shinozuka of Japan and Frenchman Jean-Pierre Fontenay by 16 and 29 seconds respectively.

The first four places were all taken by Mitsubishis, also the dominant car last year.

The second stage includes a 35km timed section outside Narbonne before the racers head for Granada in Spain.