Dakar 2026 | Stage 5 | Benavides breaks through as Sanders reclaims lead

Tyres, survival, speed: Benavides wins stage five while Sanders rides smart to overall lead.

Luciano Benavides finally turned relentless Dakar speed into silverware on stage five, charging his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing KTM 450 RALLY to victory as the marathon stage reached its conclusion near Ha’il.

On a day defined by self-reliance, tyre survival and precise navigation, the Argentine delivered a gutsy, high-commitment ride to claim his first stage win of the 2026 Dakar – and the sixth of his rally career. Behind him, Chucky Sanders rode with restraint and intelligence, banking third place on the stage and, crucially, reclaiming the overall rally lead.

Stage five began straight from the remote marathon campsite, where riders had spent the night without outside assistance after tending to their own machines in spartan conditions. The 414km route – including 356km against the clock – placed a premium on reliability and judgment, with mistakes carrying heavy consequences deep into the special.

Benavides wasted no time attacking. Starting behind six riders, he immediately began clawing back time, unfazed even by an early crash that might have derailed a lesser effort. By kilometre 240, his charge paid off as he surged into the stage lead.

“The pace was extremely high all day and I felt strong from the start,” Benavides said. “I had a small navigation mistake early on, then a big high-speed crash, but nothing was damaged. From that moment on I just committed to pushing and riding my own race.”

With tyres degrading and concentration levels stretched after days without service support, Benavides balanced aggression with control to the finish.

“Tire management was especially important today,” he added. “Winning the stage after everything it took to be here is very special for me.”

The result vaulted Benavides into third overall, having clawed back nearly six minutes on the rally leader in a single day.

For Sanders, stage five was about damage limitation rather than outright pace. Aware of increasing tyre wear after the opening kilometres, Chucky made the call to back things off and ride within himself.

“It was a very different marathon stage to what we’ve seen before,” Sanders explained. “Bike and tire management were key. This morning the damage was getting worse, so the priority was not to push too hard and risk ending the race.”

By adjusting his pace through the middle sector and protecting his KTM, Sanders limited his losses to the front-runners and emerged from the marathon stage back on top of the overall standings.

“I’m happy to have managed the situation well,” he said. “We’re nearly at the halfway point now, but the rally is far from over.”

Edgar Canet endured a far tougher afternoon. After an encouraging first half of the stage, the young Spaniard briefly led outright before damage to his rear mousse around kilometre 240 forced him to stop for repairs. Though the delay cost him heavily on the clock, Canet dug deep to reach the finish late in the day.

“The first 200 kilometres felt incredible – probably the best feeling I’ve ever had on the bike,” Canet said. “After hitting a rock, the priority changed to surviving and bringing the bike back.”

Stage six now looms as the longest day of the rally, with a massive 920km journey from Ha’il to Riyadh. With 331km of timed special through the sand-heavy Qassim region before a long liaison to the rest day, Dakar is poised to deliver another decisive test as the rally approaches its midpoint.

2026 DAKAR RANKINGS AFTER STAGE 5