South African Giniel de Villiers, driving a Volkswagen, took the lead of the Dakar rally after finishing third in yesterday's sixth stage.
Thierry Magnaldi won the day's 444-km timed section between Tan Tan and Zouerat in Mauritania.
Magnaldi was two minutes and 55 seconds faster than compatriot Jean-Louis Schlesser, with De Villiers finishing three minutes and 46 seconds off the pace to leapfrog Carlos Sainz at the top of the overall standings.
Volkswagen filled the top three places overall with Germany's Jutta Kleinschmidt 12 seconds adrift of Sainz, who was seventh in the stage.