Nine-time champion Stephane Peterhansel moved into first place in the Dakar Rally with a victory Wednesday in the fourth stage.
The French driver, racing in a Mini, completed the 202-mile special stage in 3 hours, 49 minutes, 33 seconds. Peterhansel has won six times on motorbikes, and three in cars.
American Robby Gordon and his Hummer teammate, Nasser Al-Attiyah, lost ground during the stage.
"Towards the end of the special, we got stuck in the mud and it took us a long time to get out of it," Al-Attiyah said, according to the Dakar Rally site. "... But the race is not over yet and we will try to do our best over the next ten days. I am starting to get the feel of my car. This morning we were moving at a great pace, setting the best times without pushing too hard. We actually overtook two of the Minis... So we will see what we can do."
Gordon, a NASCAR owner/driver, is fifth overall and trails the leader by 16 minutes and 33 seconds. Al-Attiyah fell to seventh overall and is 30 minutes, 44 seconds behind now.
In bikes, defending champion Marc Coma of Spain won the special stage in northwestern Argentina, but the overall lead went to his KTM teammate Cyril Despres of France.
