Vatanen secures 50th stage triumph
DAKAR, Senegal (Reuters) - Four-times winner Ari Vatanen secured his 50th career Dakar Rally stage success on Sunday's 75-km special section on stage four between Tangiers and Er Rachidia in Morocco.
The veteran Finn, driving a Nissan, came home in 40 minutes 40 seconds -- 10 seconds clear of overall leader Stephane Peterhansel of France in his Mitsubishi.
Britain's Colin McRae performed well in his Nissan in his first genuine experience of the desert, finishing in fourth place, 41 seconds behind Vatanen.
Peterhansel leads the rally by 67 seconds from Italy's Miki Biasion, third on Sunday in his Mitsubishi. Vatanen, 51, is in fourth overall with McRae sixth,
Italy's Fabrizio Meoni, winner of the motrcycle section, is 14 seconds adrift of new overall leader Isidre Esteve Pujol. The Spaniard was third on Sunday.
Previous leader David Fretigne of France was unable to live with the KTMs, bringing his Yamaha home in 39th position, almost 10 minutes down on Meoni.
Monday's fifth stage features a tough 337-km section en-route to the overnight stop of Ouarzazate.
