Updated

Former champion Carlos Sainz of Spain rebounded from missing last year's Dakar Rally by winning the first stage of this year's race around Pisco on Saturday.

Drivers had to rally only eight miles after driving down the Pacific coast from the official start in Lima.

Sainz, the 2010 champion who's trying out new buggys with teammate and 2011 winner Nasser Al-Attiyah, won his 25th Dakar stage.

Lucio Alvarez of Argentina was 24 seconds behind in second overall, and 30 seconds down were Guerlain Chicherit of France and Al-Attiyah, the Qatari who won the skeet bronze in the London Olympics.