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#Dakar2020 | Carlos Sainz takes the lead after his 33rd career stage win

Spain's two-time champion Carlos Sainz, driving a Mini, shot into the overall lead after winning Tuesday's third stage of the Dakar Rally, his 33rd stage victory in the race being held this year in Saudi Arabia.

Sainz clocked 3hr48.01sec around the loop-shaped 489km route setting out from the future megalopolis of Neom, in the north of the kingdom close to the Jordanian border.

Tough terrain

Racing over a sequence of canyons and mountains on sandy terrain, climbing to this year's summit at 1400 metres (4593ft) in altitude, the 57-year-old Sainz beat home Qatar's defending champion Nasser al-Attiyah, in his Toyota, by 3min31.

After struggling Monday, Attiyah's team mate and ex-Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso came in fifth.

Overnight leader Orlando Terranova of Argentina and second stage winner Giniel de Villiers both trailed in behind Sainz.

Mini's Terranova not only lost the lead in the general standings but finished 12:52 behind the stage winner, while De Villiers was 16:21 off the pace in his Toyota.

Wednesday's fourth stage sees the rally leave northwestern Saudi Arabia, a 453km special on a mix of sandy stretches and gravel sections, mostly on tracks, past Nabaetean temples towards the historic walled city of Al Ula.



Results of the Dakar Rally after Tuesday's stage 3 (404 kilometres) around Neom, Saudi Arabia:

Cars

1. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/Mini) 3hr 48min 01sec, 
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (QAT/FRA/Toyota) at 3:31, 
3. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Gttschalk (POL/GER/Mini) 4:19, 
4. Yasir Seaidan/Kuzmich Alexy (KSA/RUS/Mini) 5:28, 
5. Fernando Alonso/Marc Coma (ESP/ESP/Toyota) 6:14, 
6. Yazeed Al Rajhi/Konstantin Zhiltsov (KSA/RUS/Toyota) 7:36, 
7. Stphane Peterhansel/Paulo Fiuza (FRA/POR/Mini) 10:26,
8. Orlando Terranova/Bernardo Graue (ARG/ARG/Mini) 12:52, 
9. Giniel De Villiers/Alex Haro Bravo (RSA/ESP/Toyota) 16:21, 
10. Bernhard Ten Brinke/Tom Colsoul (NED/BEL/Toyota) 16:43

Overall CAR standings after stage 3

1. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/Mini) 11hr 00min 20sec, 
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (QAT/FRA/Toyota) at 4:55, 
3. Orlando Terranova/Bernardo Graue (ARG/ARG/Mini) 8:09,
4. Yazeed Al Rajhi/Konstantin Zhiltsov (KSA/RUS/Toyota) 18:58 (penalty: 2:00), 
5. Stephane Peterhansel/Paulo Fiuza (FRA/POR/Mini) 19:00, 
6. Mathieu Serradori/Fabian Lurquin (FRA/BEL/Century) 20:56 (penalty: 2:00), 
7. Giniel De Villiers/Alex Haro Bravo (RSA/ESP/Toyota) 23:42, 
8. Bernhard Ten Brinke/Tom Colsoul (NED/BEL/Toyota) 33:23, 
9. Martin Prokop/Viktor Chytka (CZE/CZE/Ford) 48:05, 
10. Vaidotas Zala/Saulius Jurgelenas (LTU/LTU/Mini) 59:59

Selected: 32. Fernando Alonso/Marc Coman (ESP/Toyota) 2:40:24.

Motorbikes

1. Ricky Brabec (USA/Honda) 3hr 29min 31sec, 
2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (CHI/Honda) at 5:56, 
3. Kevin Benavides (ARG/Honda) 7:22, 
4. Matthias Walkner (AUT/Ktm) 8:13, 
5. Toby Price (AUS/Ktm) 8:35, 
6. Joan Barreda Bort (ESP/Honda) 9:04, 
7. Luciano Benavides (ARG/Ktm) 12:30, 
8. Xavier De Soultrait (FRA/Yamaha) 13:55, 
9. Skyler Howes (USA/Husqvarna) 15:43, 
10. Adrien Metge (FRA/Sherco Tvs) 18:00

Overall MOTORBIKE standings after stage 3

1. Ricky Brabec (USA/Honda) 10hr 39min 04sec, 
2. Kevin Benavides (ARG/Honda) at 4:43,
3. Matthias Walkner (AUT/Ktm) 6:02, 
4. Joan Barreda Bort (ESP/Honda) 11:02, 
5. Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (CHI/Honda) 11:19 (penalty: 1:00), 
6. Toby Price (AUS/Ktm) 11:58. (penalty: 2:00), 
7. Luciano Benavides (ARG/Ktm) 14:20, 
8. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI/Husqvarna) 15:40, 
9. Sam Sunderland (GBR/Ktm) 17:10, 
10. Xavier De Soultrait (FRA/Yamaha) 19:55

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