Dakar 2017, Stage 4: Despres leads, Loeb and Sainz hit trouble

On a tough day for all the works Peugeot drivers but Despres, the five-time Dakar bikes champion moved to the lead of the rally from fifth place.

The stage itself - a high-altitude test starting in Argentina's Jujuy and ending in Bolivia's Tupiza - featured the longest timed section of the rally so far at 416km, split by a small neutralised zone on the Bolivian border.

Loeb, who headed a Peugeot 1-2-3 leading up to the stage, quickly dropped down the order, as he lost 20 minutes on approach to the second waypoint, where teammate Stephane Peterhansel also lost time.

With Sainz having dropped 10 minutes earlier in the stage, Despres was well-poised to capitalise and secure his first stage win for Peugeot.

The Frenchman duly delivered, taking the lead and pulling away from his nearest rival, Toyota's Nani Roma, with each waypoint.

Sainz was chasing after Roma's time and was all but guaranteed to assume the lead of the rally at the finish line, only to roll his car and get stuck.

The Spaniard's misfortune left Despres leading the rally four minutes clear of Peterhansel, with Mikko Hirvonen (X-Raid Mini), second in the stage after moving past Roma late on, following close behind.

Despite his troubles in the stage, Loeb now sits only 6m48s off the rally leader, with Roma making up a top five separated by 10m30s.

While Peugeot's drivers dropped a fair amount of time in the stage, many of the French marque's rivals found themselves in no position to capitalise.

Hirvonen's teammate Yazeed Al-Rajhi, who had been feeling unwell throughout the first stage at altitude on Wednesday, opted to retire from the rally after arriving to the neutralisation zone.

On Toyota's side, Giniel de Villiers lost time early in the stage, adding to the deficit that had been created by fuel pump issues on his Toyota Hilux on Wednesday.

The South African however is up to seventh, behind Kuba Przygonski (Mini).

Cars standings after Stage 4: