Bamako, Jan 15: France's Stephane Peterhansel remained comfortably in the overall lead, one hour two minutes and 29 seconds ahead of team mate Masuoka with compatriot and former downhill skier Luc Alphand third in a BMW. McRae has struggled to stay in the rally in the past week after impressive early form. His Nissan was stuck in the desert dunes last Friday but his continued presence was ensured when organisers cancelled the weekend stages before a scheduled rest day after reports of armed bandits in Mali. The break allowed McRae time to repair his vehicle and he managed to reach the rally bivouac before Monday night's deadline. In the motorcycle category, Spain's Nani Roma stayed ahead of his rivals after Frenchman David Fretigne took his third stage win of the event. Roma, who fell off his KTM in a near-miss with a cow, leads Richard Sainct by seven minutes and 25 seconds.


Leading placings in the Dakar Rally after a 478-km special stage during Wednesday's 733-km 13th stage between the Malian capital Bamako and Ayoun El Atrous in Mauritania: Cars 1. Colin McRae (Britain) Nissan 5:52:58 2. Giniel de Villiers (South Africa) Nissan 7:40 behind 3. Ari Vatanen (Finland) Nissan 8:47 4. Josep Maria Servia (Spain) Schlesser-Ford 16:39 5. Jutta Kleinschmidt (Germany) Volkswagen 23:11 6. Gregoire De Mevius (Belgium) BMW 23:58 7. Hiroshi Masuoka (Japan) Mitsubishi 24:21 8. Stephane Peterhansel (France) Mitsubishi 26:35 9. Luc Alphand (France) BMW 29:36 10. Lukasz Komornicki (Poland) Mitsubishi 30:37


Leading overall standings: 1. Peterhansel 36:36:26 2. Masuoka 1:02:29 behind 3. Jean-Louis Schlesser (France) Schlesser-Ford 2:29:59 4. Alphand 3:56:59 5. De Mevius 4:12:53 6. Andrea Mayer (Germany) Mitsubishi 5:04:24 7. Bruno Saby (France) Volkswagen 5:44:00 8. Thierry Magnaldi (France) Honda 7:03:23 9. Klever Kolberg (Brazil) Mitsubishi 7:03:49 10. Dominique Housieaux (France) Mitsubishi 7:38:44


Motorcycles 1. David Fretigne (France) Yamaha 6:10:25 2. Richard Sainct (France) KTM 3:41 behind 3. Nani Roma (Spain) KTM 6:22 4. Per-Gunnar Lundmark (Sweden) KTM 8:06 5. Cyril Despres (France) KTM 13:32 6. Fabrizio Meoni (Italy) KTM 13:39 7. Janis Vinters (Latvia) KTM 19:46 8. Carlos De Gavardo (Chile) KTM 21:02 9. Alfie Cox (South Africa) KTM 24:03 10. Pal Anders Ullevalseter (Norway) KTM 26:26



Leading overall standings: 1. Roma 39:17:00 2. Sainct 7:25 behind 3. Despres 45:39 4. Cox 46:34 5. Lundmark 1:04:31 6. Ullevalseter 1:21:47 7. De Gavardo 2:45:21 8. Francois Flick (France) KTM 2:47:58 9. Meoni 2:56:48 10. Fretigne 3:02:18


Bureau Report