Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders has maintained his overall advantage at the top of the 2026 Dakar Rally standings after putting in an excellent ride to third place on the long stage six of the event. Opening today’s special, Luciano Benavides secured sixth on the stage, while Edgar Canet fought back from his issues on yesterday’s stage five to place 15th.
Stage six of the 2026 Dakar Rally was the longest day of the event so far, taking riders from Ha’il to Riyadh over a total distance of 920 kilometers, including 331 kilometers against the clock. The entire timed special ran through the sand of the Qassim region, placing a heavy emphasis on navigation, endurance, and pure dune-riding skill.
Sanders delivered an absolute masterclass of rally racing on today’s stage. Setting off as the third rider to enter the all-sand special, the Australian caught Benavides by kilometer 78 before opening up a gap at the front. Navigating perfectly through the dunes, Sanders continued to extend his advantage all the way to the finish, where he posted a time four minutes and 43 seconds faster than the next best rider. Unfortunately, a six-minute penalty for speeding cost the rally leader dearly, dropping him down to third on the stage and reducing his overall race advantage to just 45 seconds.
Daniel Sanders: “It was a tough day out front, especially with the navigation, and it felt like an emotional rollercoaster at times. I picked up a speed penalty early on, which was disappointing, but I just pushed as hard as I could all day. Opening in the sand is never easy, but the riding felt good and the speed was there. I’m not happy with how I’ve put the first week together, as there were too many small mistakes. It’s frustrating but that’s rally racing. I’m glad to reach the rest day and now the focus is on cleaning things up and having a strong second week.”
Tasked with opening the dunes for much of the stage, Benavides delivered another assured performance in the relentless sand. After being caught by Sanders early on, the Argentine settled into his own rhythm, prioritizing navigation and consistency through the long special. Increasing his pace as the stage progressed, Luciano ultimately placed sixth, aided by nearly two minutes of bonus time. He heads into the rest day third overall, just over 10 minutes behind Sanders.
Luciano Benavides: “It wasn’t the easiest stage for me today. I started off well and then Daniel passed me somewhere after kilometer 50. I hit one dune quite hard and so after that I decided to ease off a little to protect myself. The rest of the stage went ok; I just focused on making it to the finish safely and in good time. The plan now is to get plenty of rest tomorrow and then come back strong for week two.”
Following a difficult stage five, Canet was the 20th rider to enter stage six. Treating the long special as an opportunity to rebuild confidence and refine his navigation in the dunes, the young Spaniard delivered a solid and controlled performance to finish 15th on the stage.
Edgar Canet: “I feel good after today’s stage. Obviously, after the issues I had yesterday, I have lost a lot of time on the others, so I just wanted to ride my own race today, focus on learning and gaining some more knowledge in the dunes. I think I did a good job, so now I’m looking forward to rest day, recharge, and continue to work on things in week two.”
Riders will now enjoy a well-deserved rest day in Riyadh on Saturday, before the Dakar Rally resumes on Sunday with the long stage seven. The 876-kilometer route will include a grueling 462-kilometer timed special as the second week of the rally gets underway.
Provisional Results – 2026 Dakar Rally, Stage 6
1. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 3:41:33
2. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 3:42:47 +1:14
3. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 3:42:50 +1:17
4. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 3:45:36 +4:03
5. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 3:46:54 +5:21
Other KTM
6. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 3:47:10 +5:37
7. Michael Docherty (RSA), KTM, 3:51:06 +9:33
8. Toni Mulec (SLO), KTM, 3:53:39 +12:06
15. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 3:59:54 +18:21
Provisional Standings – 2026 Dakar Rally (after 6 of 13 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 24:41:00
2. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 24:41:45 +0:45
3. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 24:51:15 +10:15
4. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 24:52:56 +11:56
5. Ignacio Cornejo (CHI), Hero, 25:10:50 +29:50
Other KTM
59. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 35:38:27 +10:57:27