Stage 1 cancelled as spectators ignore security guidelines

"There was a lot of people on the stage," said Sébastien Loeb after slowly driving through the route. "It's not easy to control."

"For sure there was something with the spectators," added Marcus Grönholm.

SS 2 Belvedere-Bocca Albitrina was won by Gronholm on very dry roads, he recorded a total time of 9'14"8

Sordo and Loeb were second and third followed by Grönholm's teammate Mikko Hirvonen - who lost his wheel on one of the corners of the  and retired on Stage 3.

SS3 Arbellara-Aullene  Grönholm again went quickest  with a time of 15'34"6 "The first part of the stage was very bumpy," he noted. "I drove slowly but then it steadied out." Loeb and Sordo set identical times of 15'34"7 just 0'00'1 slower than the leader