American Marconi Wireless News - Toyota's Evans kicks up dust in Rally of Portugal

The Welshman took the lead on Friday as early pacesetter Sebastien Loeb and fellow Frenchman Sebastien Ogier were both forced to retire for the day.

And on Saturday he emerged from the specials with an 18.4sec lead over world championship front runner Kalle Rovanpera, also of Toyota.

"It was not easy," said Evans, who won in Portugal last year.

"The sand was really thick in places and it was difficult to get traction. You just have to trust your rhythm and go from there."

Rovanpera shone on the 11th special where Loeb pulled out for the day with a technical problem. The 48-year-old was forced out on Friday's fifth stage after hitting a wall to rip the right rear wheel from the car.

Ogier ended up in a ditch on the 11th special but escaped without injury.

After three rounds of the championship contested on asphalt and snow, the drivers in Portugal are back on gravel.

The stages take in dirt roads in the centre and north of the country, which are dusty during the first passages, brittle and uneven later.

Saturday's route includes two loops of three stages in the regions of Braga and Porto, before a timed stage on a 3.3km urban layout in Porto.

T.Ward--AMWN