Dakar Rally claims star duo on only day four

File photo of Australian biker Toby Price during a technical check-up in Asuncion on Dec 31, 2016, ahead of the 2017 Dakar Rally. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP)

Australian rider Price suffered his race-ending injury when he tumbled off his KTM motorbike after 371 kilometres of the fourth stage from San Salvador de Jujuy in Argentina to Tupiza in Bolivia as the 9,000-kilometre race climbed into the dizzying altitudes of the Andes.

The 29-year-old had to be airlifted off the course, which hit 3,000 metres above sea level, to hospital.

Earlier in the day, Qatar's Al Attiyah, the 2011 and 2015 champion, was also forced to pull out after his Toyota lost a wheel on Wednesday's third stage, a setback which left him stranded for over an hour.

The 46-year-old had been among the pre-race favourites and was sitting second in the overall standings behind Peugeot's Sebastien Loeb before Wednesday's action.

However, he was down in 25th place overall on Thursday morning, more than two hours off the lead, and did not even start the fourth stage.

"The damage to his Toyota Hilux is too extensive to be repaired by his team," organisers said.

Nine-time world rally champion Loeb also endured a day to forget as he lost the overall lead to French compatriot Cyril Despres, a five-time Dakar motorcycling champion.

Despres, also in a Peugeot, claimed his first ever stage win on four wheels when he finished the run to Tupiza in 4 hours 22 minutes 55 seconds.

He was 10 minutes 51 seconds ahead of Finland's Mikko Hirvonen in a Mini and 12 minutes 51 seconds in front of Toyota's Nani Roma, the 2004 champion.

Despres now leads the overall standings by 4 minutes 08 seconds from defending champion and Peugeot teammate Stephane Peterhansel, who was fourth on Thursday. Hirvonen is third at 5 minutes 04 seconds.

Loeb ended the day in fifth place on the stage, 22 minutes 13 seconds behind Despres. He is fourth overall, almost seven minutes off the lad.

Austria's Matthias Walkner, on a KTM, took victory on the fourth moto stage ahead of Spain's overall leader Joan Barreda on a Honda.

Walkner finished 2 minutes 2 seconds ahead of Barreda while French rider Michael Metge on another Honda was third, 3 minutes 18 seconds behind Walkner.

"I am happy with my victory today but I just hope Toby is OK," said Walkner.

Barreda has a 22 minutes 16 seconds lead over Chile's Pablo Quintanilla, who is on a Husqvarna, in the overall standings.

"Today was really difficult, especially the first 70 kilometres, with amazing navigation ... at two points I was not really sure, but finally I trusted myself," said Barreda.