Dakar Rally Day 1 | Prologue – Bisha > Bisha

Daniel Sanders wins Prologue as Dakar 2025 kicks off

The 2025 Dakar Rally commenced with a 29-kilometer prologue around Bisha, Saudi Arabia, setting the stage for the grueling competition ahead. In the motorcycle category, Australian rider Daniel Sanders of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing secured the fastest time, completing the course in 16 minutes and 51 seconds. In a stacked bike field for the 47th edition, Australian Daniel Sanders put down his marker early by becoming the only rider to cover the day’s 29km in less than 17 minutes on his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing bike.

Sanders was closely followed by Ross Branch of Hero Motorsports, who finished 12 seconds behind. Notably, 19-year-old Spanish rider Edgar Canet, also representing KTM, delivered an impressive performance by matching Branch’s time, placing him third overall.

Defending champion Ricky Brabec of Monster Energy Honda secured the fourth position, trailing Sanders by 18 seconds. His Honda teammates, Tosha Schareina and Pablo Quintanilla, finished fifth and sixth respectively, demonstrating the team’s strong presence in the early stages of the rally.

The prologue’s outcome is crucial as it determines the starting order for the subsequent stage, influencing strategic decisions for the competitors. The top 10 finishers have the advantage of selecting their starting positions for the next stage, a tactical element that can impact their performance in the challenging terrains ahead.

Indian rider Harith Noah of Sherco Factory Racing suffered a crash during the prologue, resulting in a fractured wrist, which forced him to withdraw from the rally.

As the rally progresses, competitors will face a series of demanding stages across diverse landscapes, testing their endurance, navigation skills, and mechanical reliability. The prologue has set a competitive tone, with top riders already showcasing their intent to vie for the prestigious title in this year’s Dakar Rally.

Daniel Sanders

“It was good to get the nerves out system here on the prologue. It was pretty clean, with a few mistakes, but that’s what happens when you push a lot and miss some corners. The dangers sneak up on you because you’re pushing the pace a little too much. Hopefully it’s good enough to be up the front of the group for the Rally GP and the bikes and hopefully it gives me a good chance to choose a good position for tomorrow.”

Ross Branch

“There were 130 riders out in front of me, so there was not much navigation, some little tricky places that caught me out once or twice, but I’m excited for the race and we’ve got a good start position for tomorrow, I think we can attack. You know what, this is racing – we’re here racing our motorbikes, what more could you ask for? The Dakar rally, the biggest off-road race in the world, so let’s go have some fun!”

Edgar Canet

“I’m super happy to finish my first prologue on the Dakar. It was a really good one and super fast like what I won before and what I like. I didn’t get lost and I caught somebody in front, ended up in a little bit of dust, but it’s good. For the moment, I think I’ve done a good job, so let’s see tomorrow for the first stage which will be longer than this. It’s completely a dream for me to be part of the team and able to be on the Dakar rally. It’s my first Dakar, so this time it’s about finding out what the race is exactly and keep improving, so let’s see how it goes”.

Dakar 2025
Prologue Results