Woman dies as car ploughs into spectators on Dakar Rally

Officials said Natalia Sonia Gallardo, 28, was hit by the DW car of German driver Mirco Schultis, who had lost control of his vehicle around a curve. Five other people were involved in the crash.

Leonardo Botto, a security co-ordinator for the rally, said Gallardo was part of a group that was watching the race from an unauthorised viewing area along the Colon to Cordoba route.

The Dakar, originally conceived 31 years ago as a trans-Saharan race from Paris to the Senegalese capital, was held for the first time last year in South America. The controversial race was moved away from its traditional route in West Africa because of terrorism fears in Mauritania.

It has claimed the lives of at least 50 competitors and other people, including two children hit by vehicles in 2006.

Nani Roma won the first stage after finishing the shortened stage from Colon to Cordoba 2 minutes 7 seconds ahead of Spanish countryman Carlos Sainz in a Volkswagen, and 2:50 in front of BMW team-mate Stephane Peterhansel. Giniel De Villiers of South Africa, the 2009 champion, was 4:31 off the lead in a Volkswagen.

"It's only just the start," Roma said. "We haven't really had a battle with the VWs yet. There is still a lot of the race to go. In any case, it was a good special stage for warming up."

The stage was trimmed by 30 miles to 124 miles because of flooding at the start, and Peterhansel, a nine-time winner of the Dakar, led early. But Roma took over the lead after about 30 miles, and kept extending it.