BISHA, Saudi Arabia, Jan 7, (AP): Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuška proved he's a contender in the Dakar Rally when he won the longest stage in the Saudi Arabia desert.

Henk Lategan takes lead with time of 19 hours, 4 minutes, 53 seconds in overall standings in car class - Anadolu Ajansı

Sebastien Loeb struggled to complete Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday after rolling his car near the start, a setback that is likely to cost him his dream of a first title in the event. The nine-time World Rally Champion went off the road 12 kilometres into the 327-stage between Bisha and Al Henakiyah.

There’s no easing into the 2025 Dakar Rally, as organisers have thrown some of the biggest challenges at competitors immediately. Stage 2 is the notorious 48-hour Chrono and tonight the convoy sleeps out in the desert,

Nine-times world rally champion Sebastien Loeb rolled his Dacia in the Saudi desert on Tuesday as the Dakar Rally continued to take a toll of the big names after the exit of 2024 winner Carlos Sainz.

Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuška has proved he’s a contender in the Dakar Rally after winning the longest stage in the Saudi Arabia desert.

Carlos Sainz's defence of his Dakar Rally title ended prematurely on Monday when the Spaniard was forced to pull out after the marathon 48-hour stage won by Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuska."It's the end of the adventure for four-time Dakar winner and defending champion Carlos Sainz and his co-driver Lucas Cruz.

Local favourite Yazeed Al-Rajhi won the 48-hour second stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Monday, despite a penalty for speeding, as South African Henk Lategan took the overall lead for the factory Toyota team.

Lithuanian driver Rokas Baciuška proved he's a contender in the Dakar Rally when he won the longest stage in the Saudi Arabia desert on Monday. Baciuška was 22 minutes off the lead starting the second half of the two-day,

After Sainz, Loeb also takes a big hit to his car in what is proving to be one of the toughest Dakar events in recent history

The return journey to Bisha to complete the 48 HR Chrono expedition to the northeast of the city required passing through a 90-kilometre portion of grey dunes which may have given some of the competitors grey hairs.