Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders has posted the third-fastest time on a long and technically demanding stage three at the 2026 Dakar Rally. Luciano Benavides navigated well through the stage to finish one place behind in fourth, with Edgar Canet completing the 421-kilometer special in seventh.
Totaling a grueling 736 kilometers, stage three of the Dakar Rally saw riders complete a demanding loop around AlUla, featuring the longest timed special of the rally so far at 421 kilometers. The route cut through the region’s sandy canyons, plateaus, and narrow tracks, where fading lines and frequent changes in rhythm placed a heavy emphasis on navigation. With high speeds mixed with technical sections and little margin for error, stage three delivered a decisive early test of precision, focus, and endurance.
Opening the stage from start to finish, Sanders earned over six minutes in bonus time, securing his fourth consecutive top-three result at the event so far. Sanders’ consistency also increases his overall advantage at the top of the standings, where he now leads Ricky Brabec by just over one minute. With Wednesday’s stage four promising another long and tough day in the Saudi Arabian desert, Daniel’s starting position of third is expected to prove advantageous.
Daniel Sanders: “It was definitely a tough stage, as we expected in this area, and probably one of the most demanding navigation days I’ve experienced. The pace was a little slower than anticipated, but that made accurate navigation even more important. I’m really happy with how I rode and navigated overall, keeping a good rhythm and avoiding any major mistakes. There were a few small errors, but considering how difficult the stage was, it was a solid day. Not having to open tomorrow should help, and while it’s going to be another challenging stage, starting further back could allow us to make up some time.”
As the ninth rider into today’s stage, Benavides immediately got his head down and pushed, making the most of his position to gain time on the competitors ahead. The Argentine maintained his place inside the top two for much of the stage, and despite making a couple of small navigation errors and suffering a few slow-speed crashes towards the end of the special, Luciano was able to hold on to secure fourth place and subsequently improve his provisional overall rally standing to fifth.
Luciano Benavides: “Overall it was a good stage for me, especially the first part where I felt really strong and had a good rhythm. After catching some riders ahead, the dust made things more difficult and I started to make a few small mistakes, including a couple of light crashes. The navigation in the second half was very tough if you tried to push, and it was easy to miss corners, so I paid the price there. Even so, I’m happy with the bike and the feeling, and it’s clear this is going to be a very demanding rally.”
After his runner-up result from Monday, Canet entered today’s special with only the wheel tracks of teammate Sanders to follow. The young Spaniard rode his own race, navigating through the challenging stage well and making the minimum of mistakes. Riding consistently, with times that placed him just inside the top 10 for most of the stage, Edgar was able to sustain his momentum to the finish, where he ultimately placed seventh. The result drops him to fourth in the overall standings, but the 20-year-old will enjoy a strong start position for tomorrow’s stage four.
Edgar Canet: “It was a really tough and very long day, with extremely demanding navigation and a lot of rocks, so it was physically and mentally exhausting. The important thing is that we got through it without any crashes, which is already a positive on a stage like this. I had a really good rhythm up to the refueling, but afterwards I lost that feeling a little, although I’m still happy to be at the finish after such a difficult day. Starting second and following one line ahead worked well, and I think we did a solid job. With the marathon stage coming up, the focus will be on looking after the bike and tires, especially in these rocky conditions, and using this experience to keep learning and improving.”
Wednesday’s stage four of the Dakar Rally marks the opening half of the event’s first marathon stage. A short 75-kilometer liaison will lead riders into a demanding 417-kilometer special, set out in a loop around AlUla. Riders will then spend the night in a temporary bivouac, where no outside assistance is permitted.
Provisional Results – 2026 Dakar Rally, Stage 3
1. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 4:26:39
2. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 4:28:56 +2:17
3. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 4:30:07 +3:28
4. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 4:31:09 +4:30
5. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 4:31:11 +4:32
Other KTM
7. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 4:38:23 +11:44
9. Michael Docherty (RSA), KTM, 4:39:33 +12:54
Provisional Standings – 2026 Dakar Rally (after 3 of 13 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 12:12:31
2. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 12:13:38 +1:07
3. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 12:13:44 +1:13
4. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 12:21:17 +8:46
5. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 12:23:37 +11:06
Other KTM
9. Michael Docherty (RSA), KTM, 12:35:57 +23:26