DANIEL SANDERS LEADS AT MIDPOINT OF DAKAR RALLY’S MARATHON STAGE
The 48-hour chrono stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally’s motorcycle category epitomises the event’s rigorous demands, testing riders’ endurance, navigation skills, and mechanical aptitude over an extensive and challenging course. Spanning approximately 947 kilometres over two days, the 48-hour chrono stage is a marathon segment where riders must rely solely on their abilities without external assistance. A mandatory halt at 17:00 requires all competitors to stop at the nearest designated bivouac. These bivouacs, strategically positioned along the route, offer minimal facilities, compelling riders to perform any necessary maintenance on their motorcycles independently. Communication devices are sealed to prevent external strategising, ensuring that competitors depend entirely on their resourcefulness and preparation.
The three strongest riders since the beginning of the race extended their dominance today. Daniel Sanders, the winner of the prologue and stage 1, finished comfortably ahead of Ricky Brabec and Ross Branch. The Australian will spend the night on camp E, where he holds a virtual overall lead of 4′02″ over the American and 5′59″ over the Motswana. Tosha Schareina, 8′17″ back, is the fourth man to watch tomorrow.
Starting with an advantageous position earned by his stage one victory, ‘Chucky’ Sanders leveraged his strategy and speed to overtake competitors early. By the second checkpoint, he had taken the lead, gaining valuable time bonuses while navigating Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter. After 320 kilometres and nearly four hours of racing, Sanders caught the lead group and built on his advantage. Reaching the penultimate bivouac, the Australian holds the provisional lead both in the stage and overall.
Competing in his tenth Dakar Rally, Ricky Brabec maintained his composure throughout the day to stay within striking distance of the virtual leader, Daniel Sanders. Over the course of the stage, he reduced a two-minute deficit to just 40 seconds by the 617km break zone. Brabec also earned valuable time bonuses while leading from the front, making it a strong and competitive day for the former Dakar champion. These bonuses will be factored into the final stage times tomorrow, as the gruelling challenge nears its conclusion.
Ross Branch delivered another strong performance for Hero, securing third place on the day and ending just under four minutes behind the leader. Following his impressive third-place finish in stage one, this consistency has propelled him to hold third position overall in the rankings.
Despite a brief struggle in the dramatic dunes, Tosha Schareina kept himself in contention and currently holds fourth place, with nearly five minutes of bonuses to his name. As the first rider to reach the bivouac this evening, he faces the challenging task of opening the way when the action resumes tomorrow morning. However, it’s a test he is likely to embrace after some well-earned rest tonight. Meanwhile, sitting in fifth, Skyler Howes has also secured time bonuses on this leg and continues to deliver a steady and consistent performance in the early stages of this year’s Dakar Rally.
Pablo Quintanilla, who endured a tough first stage, looked to turn things around today with adjustments to the setup of his Honda, and he delivered. By the time he arrived at the smaller bivouac this evening, he had enjoyed a much more productive day in the saddle, demonstrating his mastery of the terrain. His sixth-place finish shows he has fully regained his rhythm and is ready to press forward in the days ahead.
After his valiant effort to complete yesterday’s stage—following an early crash and subsequent issues with the road book push button—Adrien Van Beveren was back on form today, displaying both navigational precision and speed across the sand. He currently holds eighth place, having gained nearly seven minutes of valuable time bonuses along the way.
Luciano Benavides delivered a strong performance, clocking the fifth-fastest time at the first checkpoint. Navigating through the first dunes of this year’s event, he maintained a consistent pace and remained focused on his roadbook. Ending the day in ninth place, Luciano is well-positioned to push forward in the second half of the stage.
Kevin Benavides’s experience and consistency showed through, covering 599 kilometres during the first day of the marathon stage. Arriving at Break Point D, one stop behind his teammates, the Argentinian sits 26th at the midway point. With 348 kilometres remaining, Kevin will aim to climb the rankings as the stage concludes.
Edgar Canet continued his impressive performance in Rally2, competing near the front of the class for nearly eight hours. Avoiding navigational errors, Canet pushed hard across the challenging terrain and joined Sanders and Luciano at Break Point E. The young Spaniard sits second in Rally2 and seventh overall, setting himself up for a strong finish.
For the final stretch of the 48-hour stage, riders will set off Monday morning in the order they arrived at their respective rest points. Sanders, Luciano, and Canet have 330 kilometres remaining, while Kevin faces 348 kilometres before reconnecting with the Red Bull KTM team at the end of the stage.
Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “It was a really long stage today, and it was tough with a lot of dunes but finally the guys made it to the rest stops. Sanders is doing really well and Edgar has done a great job too without any mistakes today. Luciano is on track for a great result and Kevin is still in the game. We’re looking forward to finishing the stage tomorrow!”
Ruben Faria – Monster Energy Honda HRC General Manager: “The first day of the 48 Hour Chrono is now over, but it was a really tough first day with more than 600km to ride but I think the Monster Energy Honda HRC riders are in a really good position. We have two riders that will start in the first two positions tomorrow with three riders further back so that means we can do two different strategies. At this moment I don’t know what is the best one but I believe that with Tosha and Ricky starting first and second, as long as they don’t make any mistakes, with the time bonuses they can do a good stage. We will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon to find out where they all finish.”
Provisional Results – 2025 Dakar Rally, Stage 2a
