Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders has won stage two of the 2026 Dakar Rally. Leading home second-placed Edgar Canet on the route from Yanbu to AlUla, Sanders secured his first stage win of the year and his 10th at the Dakar. After a challenging day in the desert, Luciano Benavides safely completed the stage in a solid ninth place.
Stage two of the Dakar Rally took riders from Yanbu to AlUla over a demanding 400-kilometer selective section. Heading inland toward the Hejaz Mountains, the stage began with slow, technical terrain, featuring narrow, winding tracks and rocky passes before opening into wider, faster sections. After crossing a series of challenging riverbeds, the route finished at high speed across sandy plateaus, white-sand canyons, and flowing off-piste terrain, ensuring another physically and mentally demanding day on the bike for all.
Second into today’s stage due to his runner-up result on stage one, Sanders immediately made his intentions known by slotting into the lead by kilometer 70. After catching teammate Canet ahead of him, the two KTM 450 RALLY racers rode together, focusing on their navigation in the latter half of the special where even small errors could prove costly. Despite losing some ground to the chasing pack while opening the stage, both Sanders and Canet earned several minutes in bonus time – enough to slot them into first and second, respectively, at the finish.
Courtesy of his stage two win, Sanders now leapfrogs Canet at the top of the provisional overall standings, where he leads the young Spaniard by just 30 seconds after close to eight hours of racing.
Daniel Sanders: “It was a much better stage today and felt more like classic Dakar, with open terrain and a real mix of conditions, which I really enjoyed. I had a good idea of what to expect, which helped with the rhythm, and it was important to get out front, open the stage and stay on top of the navigation, correcting any small mistakes quickly so I didn’t lose time. The pace was strong, the bike and my body are feeling really good, and overall it was a very positive day. There were some tricky sections, especially after the refuel, but we managed it well and kept a solid flow, which is exactly what you want early on in the rally.”
Edgar Canet: “I’m really happy with how stage two went – it was an incredible stage for me. I had two small crashes early on, one after trying to pass a camel on the piste and clipping a rock, but that’s part of rally racing and I felt fine afterwards. Navigation was very tricky in places, especially through the rocky riverbeds where it was difficult to even see the piste, so we had to stop and carefully check the roadbook at times. Even opening the stage we didn’t lose much time, and overall I’m pleased with both the navigation and the speed. It was a tough stage for everyone, but I’m really enjoying riding here and I’m happy to still be very much in the fight.”
Making the best use of his experience and skill, Benavides maintained a measured and consistent pace through the first demanding half of today’s stage, which wound its way over rocky tracks across the mountains. Increasing his pace as the terrain opened up towards the end, the Argentine was placed comfortably inside the top 10. A small issue in the final kilometers slowed his progression, but he was able to safely complete the day in an impressive ninth place. Benavides now lies sixth in the provisional overall rally standings, trailing Sanders by just over 10 minutes.
Luciano Benavides: “I’m feeling good overall, although today was a very fast stage where it was important to stay on the track. Unfortunately, I had an issue with the rear tire towards the end after hitting a rock, so I had to ease off and manage it carefully to make sure I reached the finish. Even so, the feeling on the bike was positive, and I’m eager to get back out there tomorrow and make up for it.”
Tomorrow’s stage three will see riders complete a looped stage starting and finishing in AlUla. Of the 666 kilometers covered, 422 will be timed special – the longest of the rally so far.
Provisional Results – 2026 Dakar Rally, Stage 2
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 4:13:37
2. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 4:15:12 +1:35
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 4:15:23 +1:46
4. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 4:16:52 +3:15
5. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 4:17:11 +3:34
Other KTM
8. Michael Docherty (RSA), KTM, 4:19:25 +5:48
9. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 4:20:48 +7:11
Provisional Standings – 2026 Dakar Rally (after 2 of 13 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 7:42:24
2. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 7:42:54 +0:30
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 7:44:42 +2:18
4. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 7:47:05 +4:41
5. Ross Branch (BOT), Hero, 7:50:10 +7:46
Other KTM
6. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 7:52:28 +10:04
9. Michael Docherty (RSA), KTM, 7:56:24 +14:00