Carlos Sainz towards victory?

Even if the Spaniard wants to remain cautious, his lead in the overall standings of the 2010 Dakar allows him to finally envisage victory. But the race is far from over and Sainz is well aware of this.

Published on 08/01/2010 à 14:05

⁰ View comments)

Carlos Sainz, who took part in his first Dakar in 2006, thought he would hold the victory last year, when the legendary rally-raid explored the slopes of Argentina and Chile for the first time. But, two days from the finish, the Spanish driver had to abandon after plunging his Volkswagen into the bed of a dry river. This year, Carlos Sainz hopes not to make the same mistake. And, even if he is 15 minutes ahead after six stages, he really doesn't want to get excited.

To continue to occupy the lead in the general classification, the Spaniard is focusing above all on consistency. “ There's still much to do, he declared Wednesday evening. Personally, I will continue at my pace, the one that I have maintained since the start of the race and which is giving results. »

Thursday, during the sixth stage, even if Stéphane Peterhansel stood out, the VW driver did his best to reach the finish without any problems. “ We stayed behind Miller, in the dust, for quite a long time, he admitted Thursday evening. Until I can double it. No particular problem. Just half of the special was run in the dust. The last descent is incredible. You see the whole sea. It?s very, very steep. Does it still do anything? »

This Friday, Carlos Sainz sets off for the seventh stage, scene of the longest special of this 2010 edition. The opportunity for the Spaniard to maintain his advantageous gap over his teammates Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mark Miller, before benefiting a day of rest.