Peterhansel closes in on Dakar win
DAKAR, Senegal -- Ari Vatanen of Finland won the 14th stage of the Dakar Rally while Stephane Peterhansel stayed on course to defend his overall title with just two days left.
Vatanen, driving a Nissan Pickup, completed the 630-kilometer run from Kayes in Mali to Tambacounda in Senegal with a nine minute 16 second advantage over France's Bruno Saby.
Mitsubishi's Peterhansel finished the stage in eighth place, more than 20 minutes back.
But the Frenchman still leads the overall standings by 26:41 from teammate and compatriot Luc Alphand.
In the motorcycle race, Brazilian Jean De Azevedo of KTM won the stage, beating Yamaha's David Fretigne by 10 seconds.
French KTM rider Cyril Despres defended his overall lead of 12:16.
The penultimate stage on Saturday takes competitors from Tabacounder to Dakar, the Senegalese capital.
