TYRONE’S KRIS MEEKE lies in second place after the opening day of the new World Rally Championship season in Monte Carlo.
Battling sub-zero conditions, Meeke and co-driver Paul Nagle from Killarney finished 38.8 seconds off the pace in their Citreon DS3.
France’s Bryan Bouffier leads on day one with the other M-Sport Ford of Robert Kubica in third, less than a second behind Meeke.
Reigning world champion Sebastian Ogier (Volkswagen) is fourth.
Meeke, 37, landed the Citreon job for 2014 following a strong performance as a guest driver last season.
A win this week would be particularly significant for the Dungannon man. His helmet features a tribute to Belfast’s Paddy Hopkirk who famously won the Monte Carlo Rally 50 years ago.
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