The first Peruvian stage of the 2012 Dakar saw Despres, Farres-Guell, Coma and Aubert collect the top four times on their respective KTMs running on MICHELIN Desert Race tyres. Cyril Despres was 2m1s quicker than Coma who now trails his team-mate by 2m22s.

It was four o'clock this morning when the first biker pulled out of the overnight halt in Arica ahead of the first Peruvian stage of this year's Dakar. Don't worry though, they were able to get in a good night's sleep, since everybody had put their watches back two hours in readiness for the switch to Peru time.

In Tacna, the first town reached after the border, competitors turned left off the main road to reach the start of the first 195km part of today's stage which mostly used dirt tracks, with occasional portions of fesh-fesh and a number of dunes to cross.

It was here, in the Desierto de la Clemesi, that Spaniards Joan Barreda and Marc Coma both strayed off route, giving Cyril Despres a little breathing space at the top of the leaderboard. The best times were posted by Farres-Guell and Johnny Aubert.

After a 131km road section across another arid plateaux between Moquegua and Chucanapi, the second part of the stage started in Rio Tambo ahead of a 152-gkilometre loop through the predominantly stony Pampa la Joya which also included more flour-like fesh-fesh.

The two factory KTM/MICHELIN riders returned to their usual dominating form, with Cyril Despres arriving at the finish control with Coma tucked in just behind him. The aggregate result saw Despres pull out an additional 2m1s over his Spanish rival. "I fell during a twisty portion, but it was no big deal. I had to get off my bike to cross a rio filled with water early on the stage, and I had to continue for the next 300km with wet feet!"

Gerard Farres-Guell was accredited with the day's second-best effort, while Johnny Aubert - Coma's new rapid support rider - was fourth. Joan Barreda (Husqvarna/MICHELIN), fifth, was the best-placed non-KTM runner.

After the stage, the bikers headed for Camana, on the Pacific coast, for an overnight halt where all servicing is prohibited. Tomorrow (Friday)

Leg 11 - positions:

Provisional overall positions:

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