PORTIMAO, Portugal - Spaniard Carlos Sainz, driving a Volkswagen, won the second stage of the Dakar Rally today.
Sainz clocked 59 minutes 26 seconds in the 67 km timed section in the Algarve region with Spain's Nani Roma and French defending champion Luc Alphand both 29 seconds behind.
Portuguese Carlos Sousa, who won the inaugural stage in a Volkswagen, retained the overall lead 45 seconds ahead of Sainz.
"It was very varied terrain with some dangerous parts in which something could have broken and that would have been a disaster in Portugal," Sainz told reporters.
"The important thing was to get past these two stages as the whole story changes once we get to Africa. We have to maintain the same rhythm and not take too many risks."
In the motorcycle section, Portuguese Helder Rodrigues captured the overall lead from compatriot and fellow Yamaha rider Ruben Faria with Spaniard Isidre Esteve on a KTM in third place. After the timed section, the competitors face a 425km drive to Malaga, in southern Spain, where they are due to board a ship to Morocco.
