Russia's Firdaus Kabirov drove his Kamaz truck to the victory of the fifth stage of legendary Dakar Rally in South America, with his teammate and countryman Vladimir Chagin finishing just 19 seconds behind in second place.
Kabirov, the reigning Dakar champion, cleared the 483 kilometers (300 miles) stretch in 5 hours 48 minutes and 50 seconds to take his first stage victory this year, while Chagin's team won the first four legs of the rally.
In the overall standings, Chagin, the five-time Dakar champion, keeps the lead, with Kabirov following him by 26 minutes and 8 seconds and the team of Marcel Van Vliet of the Netherlands on Ginaf truck trails behind in the third place by 3 hours 7 minutes and 26 seconds.
The 2010 Dakar Rally is the 32nd event. It takes place in South America for the second successive year and runs until January 16. Last year marked the first time that the rally, founded in 1979, took place outside Africa, in South America, due to safety reasons.
Teams from 50 countries on 52 trucks, 160 motorcycles and 138 cars are taking part in the race that kicked off from the Obelisk on Buenos Aires's central 9th of July Avenue on New Year's Day.
The total racing distance is 9,030 km (5,610 miles) for cars and trucks, and 8,937 km (5,553 miles) for bikes and ATVs. There are seven stages in Argentina, and seven in Chile.
