Dakar sees its first results

The first stage of the Dakar rally which started in Lisbon has produced two wins for Portugal. Carlos Sousa leads the car section while Ruben Faria finished the bike stage a fraction of a second quicker than his Yamaha team mate Helder Rodriguez.

A record 525 teams lined up to start the 29th Dakar Rally in Lisbon.

Sousa dominated the first stage in front of a home crowd for the second year running. His private Vokswagon Touareg completed the stage from Lisbon to Portimao in one hour twenty minutes and thirty eight seconds putting him almost three minutes clear of nearest rival Giniel De Villiers.

The German maker claimed the first five places on day one as Mitsubishi got off to a slow start in their bid for a seventh straight win. Nani Roma their first car is in seventh. 

Last years winner Luc Alphand had a poor start and lies seventeenth after problems.

Ruben Faria completed a Portuguese double on Day one finishing just 16 seconds ahead of Yamaha team mate Helder Rodriguez.

In the truck's Russia's Vladimir Tchaguine and his Kamaz team are third after stage on less than a minute behind Gerard De Rooy and his Ginaf team.