MOTORSPORT: Price and Loeb shine on Dakar

Australian Toby Price has won the first stage completed in this year's Dakar Rally on two wheels, while on four wheels WRC great Sebastien Loeb has made a brilliant Dakar debut.

Price, who became a national hero a year ago by finishing on the podium in his first outing in the world's toughest motorsport event, headed the motorcycle field of 136 as it reached Hermas de Rio Hondo in Argentina early today, Australian time.

The 28-year-old from Singleton in NSW's Hunter Valley is now a full factory rider for KTM after his stunning performance in the two-week torture test last year.

He headed Portuguese rider Ruben Faria on a Husqvarna by two seconds after today's stage of about 300km from Villa Carlos Paz.

Loeb, the nine-time WRC champion, won the cars leg in a two-wheel-drive Peugeot 2008 DKR despite losing two minutes in mud on his first day of serious Dakar competition.

Although it was a stage that presented little navigational challenge, Loeb's performance stunned Dakar veterans.

"It's going perfectly," Loeb said.

"I was really on the limit.

"When I was stuck I think my brakes got full of mud. I had to press long on the pedal and pump a lot on the corners, but then it came back okay."

Loeb headed his French compatriot and the most successful competitor in the Dakar's history, Stephane Peterhansel in another Peugeot, by 2 minutes 23 seconds.

Another former WRC star, Finn Mikko Hirvonen, was fifth in an X-Raid MINI, behind a pair of Toyota Hiluxes.

Last year's overall winner, Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah, lost time after a puncture on his MINI and was eighth, 4 minutes 18 seconds slower than Loeb.

Spaniard Carlos Sainz was furious about a mystery engine problem in his Peugeot that cost him 11 minutes.

Fellow Spaniard Nani Roma lost more than 45 minutes in the mud from the previous day's storms that forced the cancellation of the first scheduled stage from Rosario to Villa Carlos Paz.

The only Australians in the cars division, Czech-born Peter Jerie and Dakar debutant but top rally co-driver Dale Moscatt, were 36th in their Toyota HiLux prepared by Germany's South Racing.

Two-wheel star Price, eyeing overall victory this year, said it had been "unreal" to start competition after the "weird" cancellation of the first stage.

"It's all gone really good," Price said.

"I got through the stage pretty clean and pretty comfortable and am in a good position for tomorrow.

"It should be fairly similar to what we had today and then day four is when it kicks in with a bit of hard navigation.

"But it's good to be back here. It was a long wait and a long stage, around 350km.

"We were lucky that we had about 50km taken out of the section.

"It was a long day in the saddle but, for sure, it's started well.

"Just looking forward to tomorrow now.

"It will be a little more difficult, but we'll take off and get going and take our time with it to make sure we make all the right calls.

"Tomorrow I'll be making the trail.

"We hope we're up for the title.

"That's what we've come to the Dakar for, to be a title contender, but you've got to have a perfect race go your way for the two weeks.

"Today was only pretty much day two, but realistically it's day one, so we've got a long way to go.

"We've just got to make sure we keep cool, calm and collected.

"It's good to get one stage win out of the way, but we're looking forward to being smooth and consistent the rest of the week and see how we go."