Belen: Defending champion Stephane Peterhansel won the 10th stage of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday, reducing the overall race lead of Peugeot teammate Carlos Sainz.
Peterhansel needed 4 hours, 43 minutes, 46 seconds to cover the 373 kilometres (230 miles) between Salta and Belen, Argentina. Toyota driver Giniel de Villiers of South Africa was 8:46 behind in second place, with Sainz taking third, 13:07 behind his French teammate.
In the overall classification, Sainz leads second-placed Peterhansel by 50:35.
Yamaha rider Adrien van Beveren of France, who had been leading the bike race, was forced to abandon after an accident. His Yamaha team said on its Twitter feed that Van Beveren “attempted to complete the stage but was unable to continue and was airlifted for medical check.”
He was replaced at the top of the standings by Austria’s KTM rider Matthias Walkner.
Walkner won the stage and was followed by two Honda riders, Spaniard Joan Barreda Bort and Argentine Kevin Benavides.
Overall, the Austrian leads Barreda Bort by 39:42 and Benavides by 41:23.
