Dakar 2018: Sainz leads despite controversy while Walkner leads from Barreda and Nikolaev comes under pressure

Despite a controversial penalty on account of a crash with a quad rider, Carlos Sainz leads the Dakar Rally after stage ten from Peugeot teammate Stephane Peterhansel, while KTM's Matthias Walkner leads from the improving Joan Barreda of Honda and Eduard Nikolaev gets pressured by Federico Villagra of IVECO.

Despite a ten minute penalty handed to the Spaniard for an apparent 'hit and run' incident with quad rider (and booking.com founder) Kees Koolen, he holds a lead of over 50 minutes from his Peugeot teammate Stephane Peterhansel.

Bearing down on Peterhansel are a trio of Toyota Hiluxes piloted by Nasser Al-Attiyah, Bernhard Ten Brinke and Giniel De Villiers as only four more stages remain till the completion of the Dakar Rally.

The MINI of Jakub Przygonski follows the Toyotas ahead of the privately entered Peugeot 3008 of Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, Ford's Martin Prokop, Toyota's Peter Van Merksteijn and Sebastian Halpern. 

WALKNER TAKES OVER

In the bike class, Matthias Walkner has put KTM back on top of the overall standing after Yamaha's Adrien Van Beveren had a particularly tough stage ten. The Frenchman lost six minutes to Kevin Benavides in the early part of the 370km timed section before crashing out just three kilometers from the end of the stage. That brings a close to Van Beveren's Dakar Rally and ends any realistic chance of Yamaha claiming a win.

Right behind Walkner is the fast improving Joan Barreda of Honda, just under 40 minutes behind, who is followed by the other factory Honda of Benavides. 

The privately entered Himoinsa Racing Team's KTM Rally Replica of Gerard Farres Guell is fourth overall ahead of the factory KTM of Toby Price and Antoine Meo. 

The factory Honda CRF 450 Rally of Ricky Brabec is seventh overall ahead of the privately entered Slovnaft Rally Team's KTM Rally Replica of Stefan Svitko, the factory Husqvarna FR 450 Rally of Pablo Quintanilla and the Gas Gas Rally Replica 450 (KTM powered) of Johnny Aubert.

NIKOLAEV UNDER PRESSURE

From once leading by nearly an hour, Kamaz's Eduard Nikolaev's overall lead in the truck class is down to just under 25 minutes as IVECO's Federico Villagra chases him down. 

Maz's Siarheri Viazovich is nearly four hours behind in third overall, followed by IVECO's Ton Van Genugten, Kamaz's Airat Mardeev, Liaz' Martin Macik, IVECO's Artur Ardavichus, Hino's Teruhito Sugawara, Kamaz's Dmitry Sotnikov and Renault's Gert Huzink.