Rallying: Peterhansel wins 10th Dakar crown

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Rallying: Peterhansel wins 10th Dakar crown

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Stephane Peterhansel won an unprecedented 10th Dakar Rally title.

16 January,2012 07:27 am

Frances Stephane Peterhansel won an unprecedented 10th Dakar Rally title on Sunday after the 14th and final stage won by American Robby Gordon.The Mini driver was previously a three-time car winner and six-time motorcycle champion of the gruelling rally that has been raced in South America in 2009.Peterhansel, who went into the final stage with a 43-minute lead over closest rival Nani Roma of Spain, finished 10th on the 29km special, 3:12 off Gordons pace.The Frenchman covered the 8,400km-long rally, of which more than half were timed specials, between Mar Del Plata in Argentina and Lima in 38hr 54min 46sec, with Spanish team-mate Roma at 41:56, and South African Toyota driver Ginel De Villiers at 1.13:25.The motorbike category was won by Frenchman Cyril Despres, who came through the stage unscathed to finish ahead of Marc Coma, whose wrong turn on Saturdays stage handed his rival a clear run to the title.It was a fourth title for Despres, riding a KTM, after the stage won by Dutchman Pal Ullevalseter.Despres clocked 43hr 28min 11sec in the overall timings, 53:20 ahead of Coma, with Yamaha rider Helder Rodrigues of Portugal in third at 1.11:17.