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Another serious injury mars Dakar as Sainz wins again

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-14 10:00

SANTIAGO - Dakar Rally leader Carlos Sainz won his fourth stage in a row on Tuesday as the controversial event was marred by another serious injury.

Spain's Carlos Sainz and co-driver Michel Perin drive their Volkswagen during the tenth stage of the South American edition of the Dakar 2009 rally, from Copiapo to Copiapo, January 13, 2009.[Agencies]

Spanish motorcyle rider Cristobal Guerrero was left in a coma after crashing 160 km into the tenth stage, a 476 km loop starting and finishing in the Chilean desert city of Copiapo.

Organisers said they would give an update on the 48-year-old's condition after he had undergone a scan.

The race has already claimed the life of French motorcyclist Pascal Terry whose body was found on January 7, three days after he went missing during the second stage in Argentina.

British pair Paul Green and Matthew Harrison suffered thorax and spine injuries during the rally's first stage when their car overturned in another bad accident.

Former world rally champion Sainz forged ahead in the car category after Argentina's Orlando Terranova, who led for the first third of the stage, rolled his vehicle and was forced to withdraw.

The driver and his navigator were unhurt.

Sainz was handed the lead but lost it to American Robby Gordon who led for over 100 km before the Spaniard regained the advantage near the end to win by 21 seconds and clinch his sixth stage of the rAace.

American Mark Miller came in third, a futher 7.39 minutes behind Gordon.

Sainz increased his overall lead over Miller to more than 27 minutes.

Fellow Spaniard Jordi Viladoms won the stage in the motorcycle category, finishing 1.06 minutes ahead of French rider Alain Duclos and 8.29 ahead of Portugal's Helder Rodriguez.

Frenchman Cyril Despres led for most of the stage until he made a navigational error and made a loop of around 23 km before getting back on the right trail.

Race leader Marc Coma came in seventh but remains one hour 24 minutes ahead of Frenchman David Fretigne in the overall standings.

The race is being held in Argentina and Chile because of security fears in Mauritania which caused the cancellation of last year's race.