Europe 1 with AFP // Photo credit: PATRICK HERTZOG / AFP 15:48 p.m., January 07, 2024

Stéphane Peterhansel won the second stage of the 2024 Dakar Rally in his Audi, 29 seconds ahead of his compatriot Sébastien Loeb. Thanks to this victory, "Mr. Dakar" is no match for the record set by the Finn, Ari Vatanen. Carlos Sainz took the lead in the general classification.

Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel made his pursuers bite the dust by winning the 2nd stage of the Dakar-2024 on Sunday in Al-Duwadimi, his 50th stage victory in a car on the rally-raid, while his Audi teammate Carlos Sainz takes the overall lead.

"I've kind of stopped counting the number of stage wins"

With his 50th, "Monsieur Dakar" is level with Finland's Ari Vatanen. He finished the 470km stage 29 seconds ahead of his compatriot Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive), according to provisional results. American Seth Quintero (Toyota) completed the stage podium at 3:11. "I've kind of stopped counting the number of stage wins, to be back at the same level as him is always nice (...) I still have a chance to beat him then," said Stéphane Peterhansel at the end of his special.

>> LISTEN TO - The beginnings of the Paris-Dakar

Two-time defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah finished 4th on the stage, 6:28 behind Peterhansel's Audi. Spaniard Carlos Sainz, second on Saturday, finished 17:15 behind his teammate but the three-time Dakar winner (2010, 2018, 2020) took the lead in the provisional general classification - Guillaume de Mevius (Toyota) having finished more than 26 minutes behind. Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota), 5th in the stage at 7:11, climbed to 2nd place in the provisional general classification, ahead of Sébastien Loeb.

On Monday, the 3rd stage will still be long for the riders with 438 km of special between Al-Duwadimi and Al-Salamiya. And a special feature: at the end of the stage, they will have two hours of assistance on their car, not a second more, before returning to the bivouac.