Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has claimed his second straight stage win in the 2026 Dakar Rally. With his victory on stage eight, the Argentinian also takes the provisional lead in the general classification, just 10 seconds ahead of teammate Daniel Sanders.
Stage eight consisted of a tough loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, with a timed special of 483 kilometers within a total distance of 721 kilometers. The course had a constantly changing rhythm through dunes, sandy paths and technical canyons, where navigation and concentration were crucial throughout the day.
Benavides started first in the special after his win in stage seven and led the entire 483 kilometers. By gradually increasing his pace, he collected 7 minutes and 28 seconds of bonus time and won the stage by almost five minutes ahead of Sanders. This means Benavides rises to first place in the provisional rankings, closely followed by his teammate.
Daniel Sanders started the stage in fourth and rode a strong race to defend his position against rival Ricky Brabec. Sanders and Brabec stayed close, with Sanders eventually finishing second with a 12-second difference. Benavides’ bonus time means Sanders is now second in the standings and is focusing on stage nine to close the gap.
The first half of the second marathon stage starts on Tuesday. The riders leave from Wadi Ad-Dawasir for a route of 541 kilometers, of which 418 kilometers are against the clock. No external assistance is allowed and participants will spend the night in a bivouac. On Wednesday the rally continues towards Bisha, where the drivers rejoin their teams.
Belgian Jerome Martiny came in 28th and Ian Olthof ended the day in 46th.
Click on the following link for the full results of the stage: https://trackingdakar.com/nl/stage-8/bikes/waypoints/?show-top=off
Click on the following link for the rankings: https://trackingdakar.com/nl/stage-8/bikes/standings/
