YANBU > ALULA
Defending champion Daniel Sanders waited only until the second stage to take control of the Dakar by winning the AlUla stage. Following a true demonstration of rally-raid in partnership with his teammate Edgar Canet, the Australian secured his 10th Dakar stage win, becoming the 22nd rider in history to reach a double-digit score.
After his two successes in the prologue and the first stage, the young Spaniard from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing was called upon to open the track: a task he performed for about a hundred kilometers before a minor crash with no serious consequences allowed Sanders to catch up. At the end of the 400-kilometer special and after the allocation of bonuses granted to openers, the gap between the two riders is 1’35’’ in favor of the Australian, who also becomes the new leader of the general classification with a 30’’ lead.
Behind the two KTMs, Ricky Brabec set the 3rd fastest time of the day and also remains 3rd in the provisional general classification, 2’18’’ behind.
The gaps remain modest in the Top 5, rounded out by Tosha Schareina at 4’41’’ and Ross Branch at 7’46’’. In contrast, Adrien Van Beveren, victim of a heavy crash, is already significantly behind, sitting 10th in the race hierarchy at 14’09’’.
The competition in Rally 2 saw a minor revolution, as a Honda motorcycle won for the first time in the category (which has existed since 2022), ridden by Portuguese newcomer Martim Ventura. The Japanese brand joins a club that remains largely dominated by KTM (36 stages in R2), followed by Husqvarna (16) and Sherco (2). However, Ventura did not manage to take the lead in the general classification for the category, where Michael Docherty sits at the top with a 19’’ lead.