Al-Attiyah and Barreda dominant in Dakar Rally fourth stage

Nasser Al-Attiyah and Joan Barreda extended their leads in overall standings in car and bike categories by winning the 2015 Dakar Rally fourth stage respectively on Wednesday as the gruelling 9,000km event climbed the Andes and then crossed Chile's Atacama desert.

Al-Attiyah, the 2011 champion, spent the entire fourth stage in the leading group, and ensured the victory with an impressive performance on the last dunes of today's 315km special.

The Qatari driver finished two minutes 40 seconds ahead of Mini team-mate Nani Roma, the defending champion, whose hopes came to a halt in the opening stage when the mechanical problem made him lose more than eight hours.

South Africa's Giniel De Villiers from Toyata ranked the third, lagging behind Al-Attiyah two minutes and 57 seconds. However, the 2009 champion turned out to be the most dangerous man towards Al-Attiyah as he claimed a fourth successive stage podium finish and is now second in the overall title chase, more than eight minutes behind his Qatari rival.

"Giniel's the man to beat, he's always very consistent in the Dakar, always near the top, so putting three minutes into him is great," said Al-Attiyah, who won his second stage win.

"I'll keep doing things this way, driving cautiously and attacking every now and then."

Saudi Arabia's Yazeed Alrajhi behind the wheel of Toyota was fourth in Wednesday to rank the third overall, 23:33 behind Al-Attiyah.

11-time champion Stephane Peterhansel proved Peugeot is competitive by finishing five minutes 48 seconds behind the stage winner.

Peugeot returned to the Dakar Rally for the first time in 25 years after winning four consecutive titles between 1987 and 1990. However, it is difficult for Peugeot to shine again this year.

Peterhansel is 10th overall, while his teammate Carlos Sainz, the 2010 champion, was forced to stop for several hours due to a mechanical problem a mere 30km into the special, he no longer is in a position to challenge for the overall win.

Spanish motorcyclist Joan Barreda also claimed his second stage win by taking his Honda to victory ahead of defending champion Marc Coma on a KTM with Chile's Pablo Quintanilla, also on a KTM, in third.

In the overall standings, Barreda now leads by 12 minutes 49 seconds from Coma with Honda teammate Paulo Goncalves of Portugal back in third place, 20min 29sec off the lead. Endi