Copiapo, Chile  - Spanish leader Carlos Sainz on Monday closed in on Buenos Aires and victory in the Dakar rally as he picked up his fifth stage win of the race.

There was was further good news for Sainz's VW team as Touareg team-mates Mark Miller and Giniel de Villiers finished the 537 kilometre ninth stage from the Chilean towns of La Serena to Copiapo in second and third place.

The American Miller, who is 19.52 minutes behind Sainz, took over second place from de Villiers after a navigational mistake cost the South African some 15 minutes. He is a further 3.06 minutes behind Miller.

In the motorcycle category Spain's KTM driver Marc Coma increased his lead over Frenchman David Fretigne to 64.46 minutes.

The Dakar rally, which ends on Saturday in Buenos Aires, is being raced in South American for the first time. (dpa)