- Daniel Sanders wins stage 2 and leads the overall standings
- Ricky Brabec is in third place and deliberately chose to start further back
- Stage 3 will be the longest day of the rally so far, covering 736 km
After a total of 728 kilometers of competitive racing, the 2026 Dakar is still young, but strategic thinking has long since begun. The battle for seconds, starting positions, and time credits is already shaping the early days. Especially at the top, it is clear that not every podium finish is automatically an advantage.
Sanders takes the lead
The second stage was Daniel Sanders’ moment to shine. The reigning Rally Raid World Champion was clearly comfortable on the 400 km special stage and made good use of his experience. Open terrain, changing surfaces, and challenging navigation suited the Australian perfectly. With a time of 4:13:37 hours, he not only secured the stage victory, but also the lead in the overall standings.
Sanders also benefited from the course of the race. His young teammate Edgar Canet opened a stage for the first time and had to navigate early on. After Sanders caught up with him, the 31-year-old took over the navigation for long stretches. However, the decisive factor was the steady rhythm that Sanders was able to maintain throughout the day. Minor navigation errors were quickly corrected, and there were no major time losses.
Brabec consistently fast – but still dissatisfied
Ricky Brabec also put in a strong performance on stage 2, finishing third once again. The Honda rider is also third in the overall standings, 2:18 minutes behind Sanders. From a sporting point of view, this is a solid starting position, but strategically it is not ideal.
The two-time Dakar winner had deliberately hoped to fall back a little further so as not to end up in an unfavorable starting position for the third stage. An early start can quickly become a disadvantage on long, difficult stages, as opening the route costs time and encourages mistakes. Nevertheless, Brabec remained calm and emphasized that overall he is where he wants to be. The key is to stay within striking distance of the leaders and keep an eye on his direct competitors.
Canet crashes but stays in contention
Stage 2 was much more turbulent for Edgar Canet. The 20-year-old had to start the special stage in the lead for the first time and struggled with the difficult navigation. Rocks, unclear passages, and unplanned obstacles such as camels and trees ultimately led to a crash and a collision.
Despite these incidents, the KTM Junior put in a remarkable performance. He finished the stage in second place and is only 30 seconds behind Sanders in the overall standings. Canet already has a lead of just under two minutes over Ricky Brabec, which underlines his strong starting position.
Honda keeps the damage to a minimum
Behind Sanders and Canet, Honda placed several riders in the top 10. Ricky Brabec, Tosha Schareina, and Skyler Howes each lost only around three and a half minutes. Adrien Van Beveren, on the other hand, suffered a setback, falling almost nine minutes behind. Overall, however, Honda managed to keep the time loss to KTM manageable and position several riders within reach of the podium places.
Honda also attracted attention in the Rally2 category. Portugal’s Martim Ventura impressed as the best rider in his class, finishing sixth in the day’s results and only 3:53 minutes behind.
Stage 3: Length and navigation as key factors
Stage 3 will be the longest day of the 2026 Dakar so far for the participants. A total of 736 km are on the program, 422 km of which are special stages. The rally has arrived around the Al ʿUla oasis, a region with striking rock formations and few clear landmarks.
The organizers have announced sandy tracks for the first part, followed by rocky terrain that will require maximum concentration during navigation. In the second half, existing paths are expected to cause additional confusion. This can quickly become a time-consuming factor, especially for the early starters.
Starting position before the longest day
After two stages, Daniel Sanders leads ahead of Edgar Canet and Ricky Brabec. Behind them, several riders are lurking with a manageable gap. The 2026 Dakar has thus reached an early stage where not only speed but above all strategy and overview are required. Stage 3 should show whose plan works and who has to pay tribute to the length and complexity of the rally early on.
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