Editor’s note: Tune in to NBCSN on Monday at 11 p.m. ET for Dakar Rally highlights.
Two-time Dakar Rally champ Nasser Al-Attiyah’s lead in this year’s 40th Rally endurance race lasted just one day.
Frenchman Cyril Despres took over the lead of the Cars class following Sunday’s Stage 2 of the 14-stage Rally across Peru, Bolivia and Argentina.
Despres and his Peugeot covered the 195 mile course (267 kilometers) around Pisco, Peru in a time of 2 hours, 56 minutes and 51 seconds.
Despres, who finished third in last year’s Rally, reached the end of stage ahead of two French teammates Stephane Peterhansel (2:57:39) and Sebastien Loeb (2:59:59).
Al-Attiyah, meanwhile, dropped from first to fifth, nearly 15 minutes now behind Despres.
There were several wrecks during the course of the stage, most notably involving American driver Bryce Menzies, who barrel rolled his Mini several times.
Menzies and co-driver Peter Mortensen were uninjured, but their Mini was destroyed and their Rally is over for 2018.
MORE: Dakar Rally daily stages schedule, NBCSN broadcast schedule, list of all competitors.
MORE: Saturday’s Stage 1 wrapup
Here’s how all five classes fared after Stage 2, as well as the overall leaders after the first two stages:
CARS
- 1. France’s Cyril Despres, Peugeot, 2:56:51
- 2. France’s Stephane Peterhansel, Peugeot, 2:57:39
- 3. France’s Sebastien Loeb, Peugeot, 2:59:59
- 4. South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers, Toyota, 3:04:17
- 5. Argentina’s Orlando Terranova, Mini, 3:09:44
OVERALL LEADERS
- 1. France’s Cyril Despres
- 2. France’s Stephane Peterhansel
- 3. South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers
- 4. France’s Sebastien Loeb
- 5. Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah
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MOTORCYCLES
Spain’s Joan Barreda Bort rode his Honda to capture the stage with a time of 2.56:44. Bort had finished Stage 1 in fourth place.
France’s Adrien van Beveren and his Yamaha remained in second place (2:54 back), followed by Austria’s Matthias Walkner (4:24 back).
First stage leader Sam Sunderland finished seventh Sunday (3:02:45), but is still fourth overall.
- 1. Spain’s Joan Barreda Bort , Honda, 2:56:44
- 2. France’s Adrien van Beveren, Yamaha, 2:59:38
- 3. Austria’s Matthias Walkner, KTM, 3:01:08
- 4. France’s Michael Metge, Honda, 3:01:23
- 5. Argentina’s Kevin Benevides, Honda, 3:02:27
As for the five Americans in the class:
- 12th: Ricky Brabec (Honda), 3:04:03,
- 25th: Andrew Short (Husqvarna), 3:18:15
- 35th: Shane Esposito (KTM), 3:30:58
- 38th: Mark Samuels (Honda), 3:31.22
- 123rd: Bill Conger (Husqvarna), 6:37:09
OVERALL LEADERS
- 1. Spain’s Joan Barreda Bort
- 2. France’s Adrien van Beveren
- 3. Austria’s Matthias Walkner
- 4. England’s Sam Sunderland
- 5. Chile’s Pablo Quintanilla
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TRUCK
Defending Rally champ Russian Eduard Nikolaev (driving a Kamaz) moved up from third in Stage 1 to take the lead following Stage 2 with a time of 3:24.23. Argentina’s Federico Villagra finished second in the stage, 3:25 back, while Czech Ales Lobrais, who led after Stage 1, finished third, 5:38 back.
- 1. Russia’s Eduard Nikolaev (Kamaz), 3:24:23
- 2. Argentina’s Federico Villagra (Iveco), 3:27:48
- 3. Czech Republic’s Ales Loprais (Tatra), 3:30:30
- 4. Czech Republic’s Martin Kokomy (Tatra), 3:35:34
- 5. Netherlands’ Ton van Genugten (Iveco), 3:44:31
OVERALL LEADERS
- 1. Russia’s Eduard Nikolaev
- 2. Czech Republic’s Ales Loprais
- 3. Argentina’s Federico Villagra
- 4. Czech Republic’s Martin Kokomy
- 5. Netherlands’ Ton van Genugten
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QUADS
- 1. Chile’s Ignacio Casale (Yamaha), 3:37:45
- 2. Russia’s Sergei Kariakin (Yamaha), 3:38:28
- 3. Argentina’s Gaston Gonzalez (Yamaha), 3:41:39
- 4. Peru’s Alexis Hernandez (Yamaha), 3:44:17
- 5. Argentina’s Pablo Copetti (Yamaha), 3:46:37
OVERALL LEADERS
- 1. Chile’s Ignacio Casale
- 2. Russia’s Sergei Kariakin
- 3. Argentina’s Pablo Copetti
- 4. Netherland’s Kess Koolen
- 5. Argentina’s Nicolas Cavigilasso
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SxS UTV
- 1. Brazil’s Reinaldo Varela (Can-Am), 4:18:44
- 2. Peru’s Juan Uribe Ramos (Can-Am), 4:27:43
- 3. France’s Patricie Garrouste (Polaris), 4:40:41
- 4. Spain’s Jose Pena Campos (Polaris), 5:10:08
- 5. Peru’s Anibal Aliaga (Polaris), 5:11:23
OVERALL LEADERS
- 1. Peru’s Juan Uribe Ramos
- 2. Brazil’s Reinaldo Varela
- 3. Peru’s Anibal Aliaga
- 4. Spain’s Jose Pena Campos
- 5. France’s Patricie Garrouste
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STAGE 3: On Monday, the Rally will move forward from Pisco, Peru to San Juan de Marcona, also in Peru.