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AFP - Dutch motorcyclist Frans Verhoeven has won the 11th stage of the Dakar Rally, the 220-kilometres special from Santiago in Chile.

Verhoeven edged out American Jonah Street by three seconds while Frenchman Cyril Despres, seventh on the stage over four minutes in arrears, remained comfortably the overall leader with just three stages remaining.

Despres, whose main pre-race rival for the title Spaniard Marc Coma saw his chances disappear last weekend when he was penalised six hours for illegally changing a tyre, has a lead of 1hr 20min over Norwegian Pal Ullevalseter.

Chile's Francisco Lopez retains third place overall while the big loser of the day in terms of a podium finish was Portugal's Helder Rodrigues, who held on to fourth place but lost six minutes on Ullevalseter.