Local favourite Alberto Hevia saw all chances of taking second place disappear this afternoon when a puncture occurred, costing the Spaniard nearly four minutes on the Rally Principe de Asturia's penultimate stage.

Hevia had done a fantastic job this weekend at the controls of his Skoda Fabia after several months away from world-class rallying, but has now fallen four positions and off the podium.

The second passage over the 21-kilometre La Nueva-La Invernal test saw Nicolas Vouilloz fly over the asphalt roads, the Peugeot Belux driver recording a result of 14:45.8 and taking his fourth straight stage win - this one a full 9.3 seconds ahead of his closest pursuer on this run, the Abarth outfit's Giandomenico Basso.

Third-quickest Kris Meeke benefits from Heiva's mishap to gain an overall position, but Vouilloz's result was a clear message that any attempt to overtake would be fruitless for the Peugeot UK driver. Very close behind, Jan Kopecky and his factory Skoda set the fourth-fastest run, the rally leader well on his way to a second consecutive IRC victory.

Hevia's troubles were the latest in a long list of events to juggle the order of the general standings in Spain since the rally began yesterday morning. Jan Kopecky remains in the lead with a very comfortable margin of nearly two minutes on the now second-placed Nicolas Vouilloz. On the verge of losing the IRC series lead, Kris Meeke moves onto the provisional podium a further 52.3sec away, eager to take all the points he can.

Freddy Loix moves up to fourth position 13.7sec away from Meeke and over a half-minute ahead of Corrado Fontana, the latter holding nearly a minute's advantage on early rally leader and now sixth-placed Alberto Hevia.

The final stage of Rally Principe de Asturias comes next to name the victor of the IRC's ninth round of the season.