Anxious moments - but Giniel improves his position!
author: Leon Botha
Peterhansel increased his lead over Giniel de Villiers by 50 seconds, while Giniel took second position from Masuoka.
After an initial delay in sending through times, I learned in the ICU unit of the Pretoria Heart Hospital that Giniel actually posted another brilliant time in stage 4.
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Leon Botha
Sporting the flag in France!
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South Africa's Giniel de Villiers driving a Proudly South African Team Nissan Hardbody, has moved back into second place overall on the 2003 Telefonica Dakar after stage four, the first of the African stage on the event that was held today.
De Villiers finished the 25 km stage from Tunis to Tozeur in a time of 19 minutes 21 seconds, 50 seconds slower than he winner and overall leader, Stephane Peterhansel in a Mitsubishi Pajero.
De Villiers is two seconds ahead of Hiroshi Masuoka, who was second overall going into the stage. Masuoka finished sixth today.
Second on today's stage was Gregoire de Mevius in the BMW Z5 making its first appearance on the Dakar. De Mevius drove one of the two Team Dessoude Nissan Hardbody's built by Nissan South Africa on the 2002 event, but was penalised 24 hours when he did not complete a stage and used a highway to get to the overnight stop.
Third today was Jean-Louis Schlesser a two times winner of the Dakar in his new Schlesser Ford. Schlesser did not finish the 2002 TOTAL Dakar last year when his diesel powered Schlesser Renault Megane burnt out shortly after the Dakar started.
Ari Vatanen, also driving a South African built Nissan Hardbody as part of the Team Nissan entry and a four times winner of the Dakar, finished fourth today and is also fourth overall 1 minute 38 seconds behind Peterhansel and eleven seconds behind Masuoka in the overall standings.
Kenjiro Shinozuka, driving the third South African built Team Nissan Hardbody is 11th overall, four minutes behind the leader.
Earlier Alfie Cox, from South Africa on a Gauloises sponsored KTM finished the stage in 16th position and dropped to fourth overall in the motorcycle section. Richard Sainct, also on a KTM, is still the overall bike leader, finishing second on today's stage behind another KTM rider, Spain's Joan "Nani" Roma.
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Leon Botha
Now if that is not complete satisfaction - then I do not know!
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Today's stage was the first of the 13 African stages. The competitors still a have close on 5 200 special stage kilometres to complete before the finish of the 2003 Dakar in Egypt on January 19.
Given the unpredictability of the Dakar and the fact that the route is completely new this year, much can still happen before a possible winner in the different classes emerge.
The current leader in the car section, Peterhansel, has won the event six times on a motorcycle and is trying to win the Dakar for the first time in a four-wheel vehicle.
Vicus van Deventer took the lead in the Quad section by beating Machacek by almost a minute in Stage Four.
South Africans are almost dominating the event as we are featuring in the top rankings in almost every class we are participating in.
The full analysis of the Top 40 positions are attached to the article. Click the button right hand top to view.
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Leon Botha
That Jaguar!
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For those who are not interested in all the interesting detail here are the Top Ten positions:
CARS
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PETERHANSEL / COTTRET 1h 04' 01"
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DE VILLIERS / MAIMON 1h 05' 24"
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MASUOKA / SCHULZ 1h 05' 26"
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VATANEN / THORNER 1h 05' 35"
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DE MEVIUS / GUEHENNEC 1h 05' 41"
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BIASION / SIVIERO 1h 06' 13"
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SOUSA / MAGNE 1h 06' 49"
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FONTENAY / PICARD 1h 06' 57"
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DE LAVERGNE / DUBOIS 1h 07' 19"
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SCHLESSER / LURQUIN 1h 07' 56"
MOTORCYCLES
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SAINCT 1h 08' 29"
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DESPRES 1h 08' 51"
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ROMA 1h 09' 28"
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COX 1h 09' 39"
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COMA 1h 10' 24"
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MEONI 1h 10' 37"
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ESTEVE PUJOL 1h 11' 23"
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DABROWSKI 1h 12' 02"
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DUCLOS 1h 12' 07"
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PELLICER 1h 12' 28"
Results of the Trucks and stage 5 information follows later.
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