McRae crashes out of Dakar

Colin McRae's bid of winning the 2005 Dakar have come to a drmatic end after rolling his Nissan Pickup towards the end of today's 492km stage from Smara to Zouerat in Mauritania. The Scot, together with co-driver Tina Thorner, was flown back to the bivouac in Zouerate where they underwent a medical checkup.

"We hit a small bump and the back of the car kicked very high and then the front caught the ground and then we rolled over," said McRae. "There are lots of places like this, at full speed one has to be very careful with the bumps but it didn't look so bad but the sand is very soft at the bottom and the car dug into the sand and then flipped over."

Defending champion Stephane Peterhansel (Mitsubishi) won the stage in a time of 4h 00m 29s, beating team-mate Hiroshi Masuoka into second by 5min 58secs with former winner Bruno Saby (VW) third and Luc Alphand making it three Mitsubishi's in the top four.

The result moves Saby into the overall lead, 40 seconds ahead of compatriot Alphand with Germany's Jutta Kleinschmidt 3min 56secs adrift in third. Peterhansel is now fifth overall, just 7min 19secs off the lead despite having dropped 25 minutes yesterday through punctures.

Fabrizio Meoni has defied his 47 years by winning Wednesday's stage between Smara and Zouerat in Mauritani.

The two-time Dakar winner completed the 492km test in a time of 4h 37m 14s to beat Norway's Pal Anders Ullevalseter into second by 1min 38secs with South African Alfie Cox third (+2:58).

"For me, it was a test today to see whether my brain still functions," said Meoni. "Whether I can go fast and at the same time be able to navigate. I am quite satisfied. I could have been even faster.

"But 80 km before the finish my mousse broke at the back tire and it started this rolling motion in the rim. That's why I had to reduce speed. But other then that it went well."

Frenchman Cyril Despres has proved to be the more consistent rider to date and his fourth position has resulted in the KTM rider snatching the overall lead from team-mate Marc Coma who was fifth.