Schlesser claims Dakar stage win

France's Schlesser won stage nine from Tichit to Nema

France's Jean-Louis Schlesser won the 497km ninth stage of the Dakar rally between Tichit and Nema on Monday.

Schlesser, driving a Ford, finished ahead of countrymen Luc Alphand and Stephane Peterhansel.

However, Peterhansel went ahead in the overall standings at the expense of overnight leader Giniel de Villiers, who suffered an engine fire.

In the moto section, Latvian Janis Vinters won from France's Cyril Despres and Spain's overall leader Marc Coma.

On a day of technical problems for the event's front-runners, Peterhansel benefitted after De Villiers' Volkswagon suffered an engine fire and he had to be towed to the finish.

It's nice to be in the lead for the first time in the rally Stephane Peterhansel

The Frenchman, who had to overcome a clutch problem himself, went on to finish third and take a lead of almost eight minutes in the overall standings.

And he said: "It's nice to be in the lead for the first time in the rally."

"But we had mixed emotions when we saw De Villiers' car on fire. Of course it's important for the overall rankings but we think he did not deserve it."

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Stage nine result

Cars:1. Jean-Louis Schlesser (FRA) Schlesser-Ford 5hr 32min 03sec
2. Luc Alphand (FRA) Mitsubishi at 0:13sec
3. Stephane Peterhansel (FRA) Mitsubishi at 4min 14sec
4. Hiroshi Masuoka (JPN) Mitsubishi 8:38
5. Joan "Nani" Roma (ESP) Mitsubishi 14:27
6. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT) BMW 14:34
7. Carlos Sousa (POR) Volkswagen 30:21
8. Jutta Kleinschmidt (GER) BMW 31:09
9. Sergey Shmakov (RUS) Buggy 31:45
10. Mark Miller (USA) Volkswagen 31:52

Motorbikes:1. Janis Vinters (LAT) KTM 6hr 8min 51sec
2. Cyril Despres (FRA) KTM 7min 31sec behind
3. Marc Coma (ESP) KTM 7:53
4. Pal Anders Ullevalseter (NOR) KTM 7:53
5. Jean De Azevedo (BRA) KTM 9:34

Leading overall positions

Cars:1. Peterhansel (FRA) Mitsubishi 33hr 43min 23sec
2. Alphand (FRA) Mitsubishi at 7min 50sec
3. Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT) BMW at 1hr 23min 21sec
4. Schlesser (FRA) Schlesser-Ford 1h25:32
5. Masuoka (JPN) Mitsubishi 2h13:44
6. Miller (USA) Volkswagen 2h14:26
7. Sousa (POR) Volkswagen 4h11:29
8. Gordon (USA) Hummer 6h20:59
9. Henrard (BEL) Volkswagen 7h18:55
10. Thomasse (FRA) Buggy 7h46:30

Motorbikes:1. Coma (ESP) KTM 36hr 41min 31sec
2. Despres (FRA) KTM 54:36
3. Castel (FRA) KTM 1hr 11min 15sec
4. Blais (USA) KTM 1:34:20
5. Ullevalseter (NOR) KTM 2hr 0min 6sec