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Champ Ogier wins Wales for fine finale

CARDIFF, Wales - France's freshly crowned World Rally champion Sebastien Ogier rounded off the season in style on Sunday (Nov 16 2014) by winning the Wales Rally GB.

The VW Polo driver, who successfully defended his rally championship title in Spain the previous month, saw off Mikko Hirvonen and his Ford Fiesta by almost 40 seconds.

The rally was Finnish rally star Hirvonen's 193rd and final rally before retirement after a 13-season career. The 34-year-old bows out with 15 wins and 69 podium finishes.

STRONG LEAD

He was fourth in the overall standings on 126 points with Ogier champion again on 267 from Jari-Matti Latvala on 218 and Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway on 150. In third in Wales, but more than a minute behind, was Mikkelson's compatriot Mads Ostberg.

It was Ogier's 24th career win and his eighth of the season.

Latvala, Ogier's Volkswagen team mate, posted the fastest time in the power stage for his Stage 9 win in Wales compared to Ogier's four but his hopes of victory were gone when he slithered into a ditch on Saturday.      

2014 WALES RALLY GB RESULT    
 
1 Sebastien Ogier, France, VW, 3hr03min08.2
2 Mikko Hirvonen, Finland, M-Sport World, 3hr03min45.8
3 Mads Ostberg, Norway, Citroen 3hr04min11.8
4 Thierry Neuville, Belgium, Hyundai, 3hr04min23.1
5 Elfyn Evans, Britain, M-Sport World, 3hr04min32.5
6 Kris Meeke, Britain, Citroen, 3hr05min11.2
7 Ott Tanak, Estonia, Fiesta, 3hr05min37.9
8 Jari-Matti Latvala, Finland, VW, 3hr05min55.7
9 Martin Prokop, Czech Republic, Jipocar, 3hr06min51.5
10 Hayden Paddom, New Zealand, Hyundai, 3hr06min56.7    

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