Defending champion Marc Coma claimed his 17th Dakar Rally stage victory on Monday.

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Defending motorcycle champion Marc Coma wins Dakar Rally second stage

Coma takes overall lead by two-and-a-half minutes from Francisco Lopez

Defending car champion Nasser Al-Attiyah also victorious on second stage

CNN  — 

Defending champion Marc Coma claimed the 17th Dakar Rally motorcycle stage win of his career on Monday with victory in the 295km second stage from Santa Rosa de la Pampa to San Rafael in Argentina.

The Spaniard moved to the top of the overall standings after finishing one minute and 18 seconds ahead of KTM team-mate Cyril Despres of France with Joan Barreda Bort of Spain third and opening stage winner Francisco Lopez of Chile back in fourth place.

Aprilia rider Lopez faded after leading at the first time marker and 35-year-old Coma told reporters: “Lopez and I were riding at top speed and let me tell you, the Aprilia is very, very quick.

“After that, we arrived at the second part of the special stage with sand and dunes. It was a lot more technical, with some navigation to do as well,” Coma continued.

“I took the lead and kept riding at a good pace. I’m happy because I didn’t get lost, so it’s been a good day for me!”

Coma leads Lopez by exactly two-and-a-half minutes in the overall standings with Despres up to third place a further 22 seconds behind.

Meanwhile, defending car champion Nasser Al-Attiyah won Monday’s second stage by 54 seconds from Stephane Peterhansel of France.

Al-Attiyah lost 10 minutes on Sunday following engine problems with his Hummer and, despite his stage win, he only lies sixth overall nearly nine minutes behind the Mini of six-time winner Peterhansel.

Al-Attiyah’s Hummer team-mate, American Robby Gordon, lies 2:28 behind in the overall standings with Peterhansel’s Mini team-mate, Krzysztof Holowczyc of Poland, another five seconds adrift in third.

Tuesday’s third stage covers 270km from San Rafael to San Juan.