Sainz claimed the 285km stage in 2 hours 35 minutes and 31 seconds, just ten seconds faster than the Dutch duo of Erik van Loon and Wouter Rosegaar.

De Villiers ran in 38 seconds off the pace, finishing in 2 hours 36 minutes and 9 seconds, which was enough to see him move back up the rankings.

Nine-time world rally champion, Sebastien Loeb of France, who dominated the first week, had another bad stage as he battled with the sand and finished 23rd in 3 hours 49 minutes and 18 seconds, seeing him drop to 13th overall.

De Villiers says yesterday’s leg was a typically difficult Dakar stage.

“I'm a little bit disappointed that they stopped the stage because we were going quite nicely.

“We had a puncture after about fifty kilometres, so we had to stop and change the tyre.

“But after that we just tried to concentrate and stay at a good rhythm and make the right navigating decisions, because, for sure, the stage was very, very difficult.

“It was a very hard stage, a typical Dakar stage. We went well, so for us it was disappointing that they stopped the stage, but in a way there will be a good reason for that, so we look forward to tomorrow”.

Today’s 10th stage runs between Belén to La Rioja.

Morgan Piek/OFM News

Photo: Carlos Sainz - Dean Mouhtaropoulos