Sas Lategan Retains Dakar Lead As Al-rajhi Rises

Five-times winner Nasser Al-Attiyah hit trouble in the Dakar Rally on Wednesday, the latest frontrunner to struggle in the Saudi Arabian sands after the departures of Sebastien Loeb and defending champion Carlos Sainz.

The Qatari, driving a Dacia Sandrider, started the day in second place and chasing Toyotas South African leader Henk Lategan but dropped to seventh and 35 minutes adrift after suffering wheel issues.

Local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi won the 415km stage four from Al-Henakiyah to Al Ula for the Toyota Overdrive Racing team, with Lategan four minutes and 51 seconds slower.

Lategans overall lead shrank to six minutes and 54 seconds, with Al-Rajhi again his closest rival after moving up from fourth.

Frances nine-times world rally champion Loeb, Al-Attiyahs teammate, was ruled out with a damaged car on Tuesday while four times Dakar winner Sainz went out on Monday after rolling his Ford.