{allcanada} Ogier in overall lead at Monte Carlo after day 3

MONACO — World champion Sebastien Ogier of France retained his overall lead after day three of the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally, despite failing to win any of Saturday's three stages.

Ogier lost about one minute of his overnight lead and is 42.9 seconds ahead of Jari-Matti Latvala of Finland, and 1:49.8 clear of Andreas Mikkelsen of Norway, boosting Volkswagen's hopes of a podium 1-2-3.

"We were safe with our tire choices today and I was very slow on every icy part," Ogier said. "My studded tires weren't the fastest option, but they were the safest for the snowy section in the final stage. I had nothing to (gain) by trying to drive quickly."

Latvala played down his chances of catching Ogier with three stages remaining on Sunday.

"There's a little bit of pressure on him now, but I don't want to risk too much in my position," he said.

Nine-time world champ Sebastien Loeb of France climbed a place up to ninth after winning stage 11 — the second of the day — while Polish driver Robert Kubica won stage 10, and British driver Kris Meeke won stage 12.

The day's opening stage, stage 9 from Prunieres to Embrun, was cancelled for safety reasons because there were too many spectators on the course.

Ogier was not at his best. On stage 10 from Lardier et Valencia to Faye, the day's longest at nearly 52 kilometres (32 miles), he finished in ninth spot and was nearly two minutes slower than Kubica.

He fared a bit better on the next special, finishing fifth, but struggled again on the day's last, where he placed eighth ahead of Loeb's Citroen.

Loeb, who has won at Monaco seven times, felt he made the wrong choice of tires.

"We tried to use the slicks to see how it was," Loeb said. "I had to be very careful in the middle bit. Not my best stage."

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