Chucky launches into P2 in the high-speed prologue
Daniel Sanders has launched his 2026 Dakar Rally campaign strongly, charging to second place in the opening prologue in Saudi Arabia — just three seconds shy of the fastest time.
The Australian KTM Factory Racing rider completed the short, flat-out timed blast with minimal margin separating the front-runners, setting himself up to choose a strong starting position for Stage 1. Sanders’ result came in a prologue that demanded commitment rather than intricate navigation, with high speeds across rock-strewn tracks and constantly changing terrain keeping mistakes costly despite the brief distance. Edgar Canet made the most of the high speed prologue, slotting his KTM into top position and giving himself the pick of the starting times for Stage 1.
Ricky Brabec who emerged as Honda’s strongest performer, securing third overall and finishing just five seconds shy of the fastest time set by Edgar Canet.
The rally began from the Yanbu start camp, where riders first covered a 41km liaison before the 22km timed prologue. While it was only around eleven-and-a-half minutes of racing for the leaders, the emphasis was on immediate precision at speed — exactly the kind of opening test where seconds can be won or lost in tiny moments.
Next up is Stage 1: a demanding loop from Yanbu back to the bivouac, totalling 518km with 305km of timed special. Riders will face punishing rocky terrain where punctures are a constant threat, requiring a measured approach — with some sand and dunes also appearing as a preview of what’s to come deeper into the event.
Edgar Canet (Red Bull KTM) – P1
“I’m super happy with my rhythm. I was following 100% the road book. I braked before the dangers, I avoided other risks. I was super fast and super happy with this feeling. It’s the best way to start the rally.”
Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM) – P2
“Happy to be here at the start line and get the prologue done. It was a lot faster than expected, but not so technical, so it was hard to make up time. It was full gas the whole time, so I’m sure there were really close times. It’s good to get that out of the way and get into a stage tomorrow.”
Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) – P3
“The prologue was great, I made it to the finish in a good position so we’re looking good for tomorrow. I’m happy to get some speed under our belt and shake the monkey off our back. Overall it’s a good start, but tomorrow starts the real Dakar Rally.”
DAKAR 2026 PROLOGUE
| POS | RIDER | BIKE | GAP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canet, E. | KTM | 11:31.9 |
| 2 | Sanders, D. | KTM | + 00:03 |
| 3 | Brabec, R. | Hon | + 00:05 |
| 4 | Benavides, L. | KTM | + 00:11 |
| 5 | Branch, R. E. | Her | + 00:16 |
| 6 | Schareina, T. | Hon | + 00:23 |
| 7 | Van Beveren, A. | Hon | + 00:24 |
| 8 | Howes, S. | Hon | + 00:32 |
| 9 | Michek, M. | KTM | + 00:44 |
| 10 | Svitko, S. | KTM | + 00:52 |
