Tire problems continue to mount for top riders as Stage 3 of the 2009 Dakar Rally saw more flats creating discouraging time losses.
Marc Coma, who started 17th on Monday after oil radiator problems, won the special section with authority, beating the second placed rider, Ullevalseter by a little over 17 minutes.
The special section, 616km long was completed by the Repsol rider in 5 hours, 18 minutes and 17 seconds. Thanks to this result Coma is in a stronger position at the top of the overall classification, and now leads with a gap of 39 minutes and 11 seconds over the French rider David Fretigne in second place.