Chucky defends overall lead with gritty performance despite challenges of opening the stage. Quintanilla withdraws after heavy crash.
Stage 8 of the 2025 Dakar Rally offered no reprieve for competitors, delivering yet another gruelling test of skill and endurance. Spanning 733 kilometres from Al Duwadimi to Riyadh — including a demanding 483-kilometre timed special — the stage featured technical rocky tracks, sandy sections, and vast open desert. Riders faced tough challenges in navigation, especially those opening the stage, where fresh, unmarked terrain added complexity. Heavy mileage and a mix of terrain further tested both rider focus and machine reliability, as the race began to gear up for its decisive final stages.

Opening the stage, a notoriously difficult task in the Dakar Rally, Daniel Sanders once again proved why he’s leading the competition. Riders who open face the challenge of navigating unmarked terrain, making them more prone to errors and slower progress. However, the Australian performed admirably, navigating a tricky 100-kilometre technical section with precision before teammate Edgar Canet joined to support. Sanders claimed seventh on the stage, aided by nearly seven minutes of bonus time for his navigation efforts, and successfully defended his lead in the overall standings by 11 minutes.
Luciano Benavides delivered a spectacular performance to secure his first stage win of the rally. After starting sixth, Benavides stopped mid-stage to assist Quintanilla but recovered brilliantly, and time lost during this act of sportsmanship was reallocated. He quickly regained momentum and topped the day’s timesheets by over two minutes. The result also elevated Benavides to fourth in the overall standings, just nine minutes behind Adrien Van Beveren in third.

Monster Energy Honda’s Adrien Van Beveren encountered an early navigation error that cost him vital minutes, but the Frenchman displayed resilience. Joining Benavides to aid teammate Pablo Quintanilla after his crash, Van Beveren regained his rhythm upon resuming the race, ultimately finishing just 2’08” behind the stage winner. He solidified his third-place position in the overall standings, maintaining a comfortable nine-minute cushion over Benavides in fourth.

Tosha Schareina continued to impress with yet another consistent ride. Starting just behind rally leader Daniel Sanders, the Spaniard capitalised on the tracks laid down by those ahead and pushed hard, earning 4’22” of bonus time. Schareina finished 2’14” behind Benavides and reduced the overall gap to leader Sanders by three and a half minutes, leaving him 11 minutes adrift in second place overall.

Ricky Brabec maintained strong momentum, leading the stage through many of the time checks after starting 10th. Though he faded slightly later in the route, Brabec’s consistency earned him a fourth-place finish, just 4’21” behind the winner. He now sits fifth in the overall standings, only eight seconds behind Benavides.
Skyler Howes returned to form after a difficult previous stage. Despite a minor crash early in the special, the American enjoyed an improved pace throughout, finishing fifth. Crossing the finish line under five minutes behind Benavides, Howes delivered a solid result as he regained confidence ahead of the rally’s penultimate stages.

The day was bittersweet for Monster Energy Honda HRC as Pablo Quintanilla’s rally came to a premature end. Caught out by an intersection edge, Quintanilla suffered a serious crash that left him with a concussion and injuries, forcing him to withdraw. The 2022 runner-up, who started the day seventh overall, was supported on the scene by Van Beveren and Benavides after his fall. Both riders lost time helping Quintanilla, but later had their time returned by officials.

With the riders arriving in Riyadh, the Dakar Rally enters its final stages. Tomorrow’s stage 9 will feature a shorter 357-kilometre timed special but promises high-speed tracks. With the monstrous dunes of the Empty Quarter looming, competitors will need to push hard to build or close gaps as the race nears its dramatic conclusion.
Luciano Benavides – P1: “That was a really good day for me, starting from 14th helped as I was able to catch a lot of the riders in front of me but I could still see some tracks. I feel good on the bike and I’m happy with my riding, so we are at a good place before the rest day. Strategy will play a big part next week as you have to judge which stages will be the best to try and make up time on, and which ones to take it steady on. I feel like I am still in the fight, there’s a long way to go to the finish and I’m in a really good rhythm now so I can wait to see what the next week will bring.”
Adrien Van Beveren – P2: “In the beginning there was a lot of navigation, I made some mistakes as maybe I was too precise on the caps. I turned around as I lost some time and then in the second part I found Pablo on the floor as he’d had a big crash. I ran over and tried to support him, we called the helicopter and waited with him for quite a long time. I then tried to regroup, to refocus and the stage was OK, it was good.”
Tosha Schareina – P3: “It was another long day at the office, it was pretty good at the beginning and I tried to push to catch Edgar and Daniel. After the refuelling we were riding together until the end. It was pretty good, I tried to push and take that bonus time.”
Ricky Brabec – P4: “Today was good, it was a day to make a big push. I did the best that I could do and unfortunately it wasn’t enough, but I’m here ready to fight for the next three days. Now I’m going to grab a massage, prepare our stuff for tomorrow and keep fighting.”
Skyler Howes – P5: “It was a better day that’s for sure. I had a bit of a crash in the morning which took a couple of minutes away, I twisted the front end of the bike so I had to stop and twist it back. It was a fast stage, some tricky navigation and some really fun dunes at the finish. I had a good time and I feel much better about today, it’s all positive and I’m looking forward to the last few days.”
Daniel Sanders – P7: “That might have been the toughest stage yet, especially the first 100 kilometers, which were really technical and hard to navigate, so I lost a fair bit of time there. After the refuel it was really fast and I was opening with Edgar [Canet], which was cool. I made a few little mistakes here and there, but I have a decent starting position for tomorrow so I’m happy.”
Provisional Results – 2025 Dakar Rally, Stage 8
Provisional Standings – 2025 Dakar Rally (after 8 of 12 stages)