Dakar 2026 | Sanders strikes back on Stage Two

Open terrain, tricky nav and a Stage Two win have propelled Chucky into rally lead

Daniel Sanders lit the fuse on the 2026 Dakar Rally overnight, storming to victory on stage two and wrenching the overall lead in a day that felt every bit like “classic Dakar”.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ace was in full attack mode on the brutal 400km selective from Yanbu to AlUla, mastering everything from tight, rocky mountain tracks to flat-out sandy plateaus to claim his first stage win of this year’s rally – and the 10th Dakar stage victory of his career.

“It was a much better stage today and felt more like classic Dakar,” Sanders said. “Open terrain, a real mix of conditions – I really enjoyed it.”

Starting second on the road after his runner-up finish on stage one, Sanders wasted no time showing his hand. By kilometre 70 he’d surged into the lead, setting a ferocious rhythm as the route snaked inland toward the Hejaz Mountains. Early on, riders were forced to tiptoe through slow, technical terrain – narrow, winding tracks, rocky passes and punishing riverbeds that demanded absolute precision.

For Sanders, the key was getting to the front and staying there. “It was important to get out front, open the stage and stay on top of the navigation,” he explained. “Correcting any small mistakes quickly so I didn’t lose time.”

Up ahead, teammate Edgar Canet was riding his own high-wire act. The young Spaniard endured a heart-in-mouth moment early when a camel encounter ended in a rock clip and a crash, then another small fall soon after. Still, Canet remounted, regrouped and pressed on.

“That’s part of rally racing,” Canet said. “I felt fine afterwards.”

As the stage unfolded, Sanders caught Canet and the KTM duo paired up through the second half of the special, where navigation errors could cost minutes. With pistes fading in and out of rocky riverbeds and white-sand canyons, the pair rode smart, keeping their heads while others faltered.

“Navigation was very tricky in places,” Canet said. “Sometimes it was difficult to even see the piste, so we had to stop and carefully check the roadbook.”

Despite opening the stage and briefly losing time to the chasers, Sanders and Canet clawed it back with bonus minutes, enough to lock out first and second at the finish as the course finally opened into high-speed, flowing off-piste terrain across sandy plateaus.

“The pace was strong, the bike and my body are feeling really good,” Sanders said. “There were some tricky sections, especially after the refuel, but we managed it well and kept a solid flow – exactly what you want early in the rally.”

The result flips the overall standings on their head. Sanders now leads the Dakar outright, leapfrogging Canet by the slimmest of margins (just 30 seconds) after nearly eight hours of racing.

“I’m really happy with how stage two went,” Canet said. “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.”

With confidence high and the leaderboard tightening at the top, attention now turns to stage three – a massive looped test starting and finishing in AlUla. Of the 666km total, a punishing 422km will be raced against the clock, making it the longest timed special of the rally so far.

If stage two was a taste of “real Dakar”, stage three looks set to turn the heat up even further.

2026 DAKAR RANKINGS AFTER STAGE 2