- Closest Dakar victory ever with a lead of just 2 seconds
- 21st overall victory for KTM at the Dakar Rally
- First overall Dakar victory for Luciano Benavides
After two weeks in the desert, almost 8,000 kilometers, and 13 special stages, the 2026 Dakar Rally was decided just a few kilometers before the finish line. In Yanbu on the Red Sea, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing celebrated after Luciano Benavides secured overall victory in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
Decision on the final stage
The situation before the final 13th stage seemed clear. Ricky Brabec from Monster Energy Honda HRC led the overall standings with a 3:20 minute lead. The special stage, which was only 105 kilometers long, was actually considered too short to fundamentally change the classification. But the Dakar Rally once again wrote its own rules.
Luciano Benavides went into the final in second place overall and knew that only a near-perfect run would give him a realistic chance. While Brabec had to open the route and therefore navigated without tracks, Benavides kept up the pressure. The time gap remained small for much of the stage until a dramatic turn of events occurred around seven kilometers before the finish.
Brabec missed the correct line at this point and lost crucial seconds. Benavides remained flawless, took full advantage of the situation, and took the virtual lead. At the finish line, only two seconds separated the two rivals. A gap that marks the closest finish in the history of the Dakar Rally.
Luciano Benavides crowns nine-year Dakar journey
For Luciano Benavides, this victory is the greatest success of his career to date. The 30-year-old Argentinean completed his ninth Dakar participation in 2026. Three stage victories, including an important win on the first marathon stage, as well as consistent performances over the entire distance formed the basis for his overall victory.
His mental strength was particularly evident after the twelfth stage, when he lost the overall lead to Brabec. Despite trailing by more than three minutes, Benavides stuck to his strategy and announced that he would fight until the last kilometer. It was precisely this attitude that paid off on the final stage.
With this triumph, Benavides also continues a special family history. His brother Kevin Benavides won the Dakar Rally in 2021 and 2023. For the first time in the history of the competition, two brothers celebrated overall victories in the world’s toughest rally.
KTM continues its winning streak
Luciano Benavides’ victory marks KTM’s 21st overall win in the Dakar Rally. This once again underlines the manufacturer’s outstanding position in rally raid racing. The KTM 450 RALLY played a central role and demonstrated its competitiveness under extreme conditions.
KTM also impressed beyond the overall victory. Despite injuries during the second week, Daniel Sanders achieved a strong fifth place in the overall standings. Edgar Canet, competing in the RallyGP class for the first time, won the final stage and finished the Dakar in 32nd place overall.
Canet’s performance at the start of the rally was particularly remarkable. With victories in the prologue and on the first stage, he became the youngest stage winner in the history of the motorcycle classification. Although a rear wheel defect on stage five cost him a better overall position, his potential was evident throughout the rally.
Rally2 and Malle Moto also firmly in KTM’s hands
KTM not only dominated the top class RallyGP, but also made its mark in the other categories. In the Rally2 classification, Toni Mulec from the BAS World KTM Team secured overall victory. The Slovenian prevailed after consistently strong performances over two weeks and celebrated his second Dakar class victory.
In the particularly demanding Original by Motul class, formerly known as Malle Moto, Benjamin Melot triumphed on KTM. After several podium finishes in previous years, he achieved his first victory in 2026, in which all repairs must be carried out without outside assistance.
Bitter end for Honda after strong performance
From Honda’s perspective, the 2026 Dakar Rally remains an emotionally difficult chapter despite several stage wins and podium finishes. Ricky Brabec missed out on his third Dakar overall victory by just two seconds. Tosha Schareina and Skyler Howes also proved competitive over long distances, finishing third and fourth overall.
Honda thus had several riders on the podium, but in the end had to admit defeat to Luciano Benavides’ consistent and flawless performance. The decisive navigation error on the final stage became a symbol of the unpredictability of the Dakar Rally.
Looking ahead
With the 2026 Dakar Rally now over, the focus is on the upcoming rounds of the Rally Raid World Championship. For Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, the dramatic success in Saudi Arabia provides a strong foundation for the rest of the season. At the same time, the close result is likely to further intensify the sporting competition between KTM and Honda.
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