Bengaluru, January 5: Three-time champion Nasser Al Attiyah won stage two of Dakar Rally 2021 being held in Saudi Arabia and moved to third overall in the standings, behind race leader Stephane Peterhansel and second placed Carlos Sainz.
The Dakar Rally 2021 served up dunes for the first time and the change of terrain had a massive impact on the leaderboards.
Stage two ran from Bisha to Wadi Ad Dawasir and featured 457 kilometres against the clock. With a host of navigation challenges as well as soft sand dunes - this was a classic Dakar stage.
During the stage a three-way tussle emerged at the front of the car race that looks set to dominate the coming days at the Dakar.
Dakar 2021: Carlos Sainz wins first stage
Peterhansel now leads the general classification with a gap of 6m37s over fellow MINI JCW Buggy driver Sainz.
Peterhansel, Sainz and Al Attiyah have 13 Dakar car race wins between them and that number looks set to increase this year.
Kuba Przygonski and Sebastien Loeb have established themselves in the Top 10 after two stages while Giniel De Villiers and Cyril Despres remain in the hunt.
There is more dunes for the Dakar Rally 2021 convoy to tackle on stage three. The 403-kilometre timed special stage will skirt the edges of the notorious Empty Quarter desert before returning competitors to the Wadi Ad Dawasir bivouac.
(Source: Red Bull Media)