"It got pretty tough in the soft
dunes, especially when I was up
front opening the way and put-
ting the first line in," Sanders said
after the 48 Hour Chrono. "Man-
aging the dust was also a huge
part of it, so we were all fighting
up front for the opening bonuses,
but it's cool to be riding alongside
the others. My body feels great,
though, and it's nice to have a bit
of a shorter day today to recover.
I'm happy with my performance
so far, and we'll see what hap
-
pens tomorrow when I have to
open the stage!"
Leading the chasing pack is the
impressive Skyler Howes, who
is looking for redemption on the
factory Honda after a mechanical
problem ended his hopes of vic
-
tory in 2024 after Stage Six.
Howes, who hails from Utah,
took 10th in the Prologue, fourth
on Stage One and second on
Stage Two and is locked in a
three-way battle for the podium
with Branch and Honda team
-
mate Tosha Schareina, the
young Spaniard having a much
better go of the Dakar this year,
after crashing out of the 2024
rally on the opening stage after
winning the Prologue.
"It's been a wild couple of days,"
Howes said after the 48 Hour
Chrono. "With the reverse start
-
ing order, about 15 of us rode in
a group for most of the two days.
It was pretty hectic in the soft
dunes and then in the fast dusty
valleys, things got crazy.
"I'm happy to make it through
cleanly and now sitting second
in the general standings. Last
night, we camped out in the
desert, and I think I slept a total
of 30 minutes, so I'm happy to
be back in the bivouac!"
Mr. Consistency, Ross Branch,
continues to play the long game
in his quest for a first Dakar
crown. The Botswanan dropped
10 minutes to Sanders on Stage
Two but the Hero Motorsports
rider knows getting past the first
week is the big hurdle ahead of a
victory push in week two.
"Yesterday was a massive
push—we spent nine hours on
the bike in full-gas motocross
style from start to finish!" Branch
said after Stage Two. "The ride
with the pack for 250 kilometers
was exhilarating, and although
I couldn't break away, it was an
absolute blast. Camping in the
desert was an unforgettable
experience, and catching up with
fellow riders and drivers was
a bonus. I'm just relieved to be
back in one piece, with my bike
in perfect condition and ready to
tackle tomorrow's challenge!"
With Schareina in fourth, Bra
-
bec drops to fifth in the overall
standings after Stage Two. The
Californian was hampered on the
second day of the 48 Hour Stage
Two by crushing his exhaust
flat after just 50 kilometers, the
resultant loss of power from his
factory Honda meaning his early
Stage Two time gains, where
he closed to under a minute
in virtual standings overnight,
disappeared and he now sits a
worrying 15 minutes and nine
seconds off Sanders' searing
pace heading into Stage Three.
"The massive 48 Hour Chrono
was good, but not the best," Bra
-
bec said. "Smashing the exhaust
flat after just 50 kilometers was a
VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P45
Daniel Sanders
creates his own
desert storm as he
marches clear of
the field during the
grueling 48 Hour
Chrono.
CHARGES
AHEAD
DANIEL "CHUCKY"
SANDERS HAS
MADE THE DAKAR
ALL HIS OWN SO
FAR IN 2025,
BUT THERE'S
STILL A VERY
LONG WAY TO GO
