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"I got past [Bernardo] Villar and couldn't see Jordi," he said. "I went flat-out for about 10 kilometers [six miles] before I realized that he couldn't be that far ahead. He said I went past him in a village, but I'm not so sure." Arcarons was quick to deny tricking his cohort, saying, "I just stopped at the exit of a village for a pee, and Fabrizio went past without seeing me - I think he's just getting a bit nervousl" Lewis had now slipped to seventh overall, but Campbell remained in eighth. With just three days of racing remaining, the course entered the country of Senegal, and Depres won his first-ever Dakar stage, bringing a bit of happiness to the forlorn BMW camp. It was the team's first stage win since Roma had dropped out of the race. "Yesterday I was second, and today I win my first special on only my second Dakar," Despres said after the 178-mile test. "Obviously, I am happy for myself but also for BMW. They have worked really hard throughout the race, and the bike has continued to progress. It is a pleasure to be able to reward them for their efforts." Arcarons took over a minute off of Meoni's overall lead, but the Italian still led by about 22 minutes, with just one real special test remaining. Still, a Meoni win was not a given. "Two kilometers from the end, a big dog ran out in front of me," Meoni said. "If it hadn't changed direction at the last moment, it would have had me off. It happened to me before on a Dakar just three days from the end, and I finished in a helicopter." The rally's penultimate stage was a 350-mile jaunt into Dakar, going backward over the first stage of last year's race. Sala took the victory, with BMW riders Despres and Lewis completing the top three, but with Meoni extending his overall lead, the rally was all but over. Indeed, after the short 16-mile test of January 21 - which sent riders on a 60-mile loop that started and finished in Dakar - the Italian made his 2001 win official. "It is the realization of 10 years of hard work," Meoni said. KTM's domination of the rally was also official, with the team taking all of the top five positions, in stark contrast to last year's BMW-ruled event. Symbolizing the German squad's misfortune was team rider Lewis, who broke his collarbone in the last special test but still finished. eN 23rd Tatal Paris-Dalal. Rally Paris, France Rasuhs:Januaryl-21,2DDl O/A: 1. Fabrizio Meoni (KTM) Italy; 2. Jordi Arcarons (KTM) Spein; 3. Cerlo De Gavardo (KTM); Chile; 4. Ised,e Esteve Pujol (KTM) Spain; 5. Alfie Cox (KTM) South Africa; 6. John Deacon (BMW) Great Britain: 7. Jimmy Lewis (BMW) USA; 8. Johnny Campbell (Hon) USA; 9. Jean Brucy (KTM) France; 10. Bem8rdo Villar (KTM) Portugal. 7.90/0 or up to $1000 cash back on all 2 0 0 0 model Aprilia motorcycles. Now you can get a killer deal on class-leading Aprilia motorcycles, including the RS 50, RS 250 road racer, Pegaso 650, Mille and the Superbike replica Mille R. Contact you local dealer for details. Log in to WlN\IV.apriliausa.com or call toll free (877) 277-4542 for a complete dealer list. All promotional offers are subj9ct to change by Aprliia USA Inc. Aprllia USA Inc. has the right of final determination of promotional program ru1e5 and interpretation. Promotion subject to availability. What's at the leading edge of motorcycle news? Cycle News Online! Now you can access instant race results and the latest breaking stories in the world of motorcycling, with Cycle News' home page on the World Wide Web. Updated daily, Cycle News Online provides: Motorcycle news will never be the same! You can access Cycle News Online anytime, day or night, on the World Wide Web at... www.cyclenews.com • Complete and current happenings in "Daily Wind" • The 2001 Cycle News Motorcycle Buyer's Guide. 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