\n<\/p>\n
Ogier’s victory was his third of the season and came 12 months after losing out to Tanak by 0.2 seconds following a heart-breaking final-stage puncture in this event.<\/p>\n
He also had a scare on Sunday’s finale, when an overshoot in the final kilometres saw this year’s lead over the Estonian slashed from 17.2s to 7.9s.<\/p>\n
“In the ruts, I just couldn’t turn the car,” said Ogier.<\/p>\n
“There was no speed at all, so I didn’t try to force it and hit it, I preferred to stop and reverse. <\/p>\n
“Yeah, not ideal, still, it was enough to win.”<\/p>\n
Evans once again found the gravel roads tough on the opening day, as he did in Portugal last month.<\/p>\n
He never challenged for overall victory and also lost time on the top three when he punctured on Saturday’s stage 11, though ironically he gained a place to fourth with Toyota team-mate Sami Pajari taking even longer over a wheel change.<\/p>\n
Josh McErlean’s Rally Italia was over almost before it started. He was one of six drivers caught out by the newly-introduced Telti – Calangianus – Berchidda loop, ripping the entire rear-left corner off his M-Sport Ford Puma on stage two. <\/p>\n
The Northern Irish driver was forced to retire with suspension damage before restarting, out of contention, on Saturday and finishing 11th in class.<\/p>\n
He remains 10th overall.<\/p>\n
The drivers face similar conditions in round seven of the 14-event series with more gravel stages in Acropolis Rally Greece from 26 to 29 June.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n