Results of the ninth stage of the Rally Dakar Argentina-Chile 2011

Chile, January 11, 2011

Today the ninth stage of Dakar Rally 2011 ended, considered one of the hardest and most demanding in the entire competition. It was through the desert of Copiapo, with dunes that complicate the pilots.

In quads, the Argentine Alejandro Patronelli arrived first, winning only by 5 minutes 21 seconds against the second, the Czech Machacek. The Polish Laskawiec is at 10 minutes 15 seconds below the Argentine.

Sebastian Halpern and Jorge Santamarina, also Argentine, ended fourth and fifth respectively.

In the overall, Patronelli continues as the leader with 1 hour 16 minutes 23 seconds over Halpern and 2 hours 47 minutes 9 seconds ahead of Machacek.

In cars, the Spanish driver Carlos Sainz won. He imposed on Tuesday and the Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah ended second, but held the lead in the overall despite the result.

Sainz did a time of 2 hours 14 minutes and 39 seconds, beating Al-Attiyah by 1 minute 56 seconds.

Third was the South African Giniel de Villiers, at 9 minutes 2 seconds behind the stage leader.

After nine stages Al-Attiyah is at the top, followed by Sainz, who is below only by 3 minutes 18 seconds.

The surprise came on motorcycles, in which neither Despres and Coma or Lopez arrived at the front. The American Jonah Street won with a time of 3 hours 6 minutes and 56 seconds, beating by 3 minutes 38 seconds to Belgian Verhoeven and the French Casteau for 3 minutes 40 seconds.

Despres, defending champion finished seventh in at 6 minutes 3 seconds behind the winner, while Coma finished ninth at 7 minutes 8 seconds.

Lopez arrived 7 minutes 53 seconds behind the winner of the day.

After the stage, Coma still leads the overall standings, while Despres is still second. Lopez also remains in third place.

Map of the Ninth Stage: