Dakar Stage 1: Canceled

Too much lightening and heavy rain for Stage 1

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The first full stage of the 2016 Dakar Rally has been canceled due to unsafe conditions.

Race Director Etienne Lavigne said that the helicopters needed to guarantee the safety of the participants during the race are unable to fly due to poor weather conditions on the course, forcing officials to cancel Sunday's stage.

The entire field will travel to Villa Carlos Paz, the planned check in location for Sunday's canceled stage, before beginning stage two on Monday.

The prologue stage of the Dakar Rally on Saturday was marred by an accident that injured four fans. While medical officials were tending to the fans, Netherlands' Bernhard ten Brinke surprised by wheeling a Toyota Hilux to victory to start the Dakar Rally at the front of the pack.

The Dutchman played his hand right in the 11 km section, whereas the favorites drove cautiously or suffered minor mishaps.

Carlos Sainz, for example, lost his hood when crossing a watering hole. At the finish, the Peugeot driver said he had lost at least three seconds due to the incident. Fellow Spaniard Xavier Pons claimed the bottom step of a rather remarkable podium.

Last year's winner, Nasser Al-Attiyah, was just outside the podium, beating teammates Roma and Hirvonen by two seconds and De Villiers , Peterhansel, Loeb and Despres by four.

Joan Barreda won the motorcycle stage after clocking the same time as Ruben Faria in the 11 km timed section. Chile's Ignacio Casale, winner of the quad category in 2014, won the prologue stage with a time of 7′14″.