A female spectator was killed after a vehicle taking part in the gruelling Dakar Rally careered off the course and crashed into a group of fans Saturday, medical sources said. The accident happened during the opening stage of the 2010 event between Buenos Aires and here. A number of other spectators were also hurt in the incident which involved a 4x4 vehicle driven by German-Swiss duo Mirco Schultis and Ulrich Leardi. Roma, Casteu claim wins Spain's Nani Roma buried the heartache of his 2009 Dakar experience to clinch the opening stage of the 2010 race Saturday. Twelve months ago, Roma captured the penultimate stage of the race but was demoted from sixth to 10 in the final overall standings after being hit with a 10-hour time penalty. He then saw his Mitsubishi team pull out of the grueling event as the global economic slowdown took a heavy toll on world motorsport. But Saturday he took his BMW to a commanding win on the 294km timed run from Buenos Aires to here. He finished over two minutes ahead of compatriot, and former world rally champion Carlos Sainz, driving a Volkswagen, while another BMW pilot Stephane Peterhansel of France was third. Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah was fourth in his Volkswagen while South Africa's reigning champion Giniel de Villiers, in another Volkswagen, was fifth. France's David Casteu, on a Sherco, won the motorcycling section.
