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AFP
AFP
Sport

World champion Rovanpera takes control of Rally Sweden

Sweden Kalle Rovanpera Toyota Rally Sweden World Rally Championship
Toyota's reigning champion Kalle Rovanpera shone on day one in Sweden. ©AFP

Umeå (Sweden) (AFP) - Reigning champion Kalle Rovanpera of Toyota seized control of the second event of the 2023 World Rally Championship with the fastest sprint on a snow-dusted track in Sweden on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Finn outdid 2019 world champion Ott Tanak of Estonia and M-Sport Ford and Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans of Britain in a special sprint stage on day one of Rally Sweden in Umea.

Two Hyundai drivers, Finland's Esapekka Lappi and Thierry Neuville of Belgium, took fourth and fifth.

Thursday's sprint was a warm-up for the 17 specials to be contested before the end of the rally on Sunday, with the drivers facing off over a combined distance of more than 300 kilometres (186 miles).

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