All three trucks from the Russian Team Kamaz...
Reigning Champion Firdaus Kabirov finished the 368 km (229 miles) stage in the first place with 1 minute and 50 seconds ahead of his countryman and teammate Vladimir Chagin and 18 minutes ahead of Ilgizar Mardeyev.
With only one stage remaining Chagin, the five-time Dakar champion, holds the lead in the overall standings and is 1 hour and 11 minutes ahead of Kabirov, and 10 hours and 37 minutes ahead of Marcel Van Vliet of the Netherlands, driving a Ginaf truck.
The 2010 Dakar Rally is the 32nd annual event. It is taking 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, had taken place outside Africa, due to safety reasons.
Teams from 50 countries in 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.