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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1542726
ROUND 1 / JANUARY 3-17, 2026 YANBU, SAUDI ARABIA OFF-ROAD I FIM WORLD RALLY-RAID CHAMPIONSHIP P74 Benavides, as has been his calling card for the last few years, started off slow but grad- ually got faster and faster as the race wore on. A win on stage five was the first showing that the younger brother of two-time Dakar winner Kevin Benavides would emerge as the main chal - lenger for the KTM factory. His stats to stage five had Benavides carding a fourth, ninth, fourth and seventh. Fol- lowing stage five, Benavides would take a sixth on stage six, but then he really threw his hat into the ring with victory on stage seven, again on stage eight to take the lead from Sanders, a ninth place on stage nine, third on stage 10, fourth on stage 11, second on stage But Brabec had the problem of the determined Argentin - ian Benavides, who took up the mantle for KTM factory after 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Champion and defending Dakar winner Daniel Sanders suffered a monumental crash on stage 10 while comfortably leading Brabec's factory Honda team - mate Tosha Schareina in the overall standings. The crash saw Sanders frac- ture his left collarbone and crack his sternum, but the tough-as- teak Australian still raced the final three stages to the finish, eventually crossing the line a disappointed fifth overall but making himself a hero to millions for refusing to give in to the pain he described as "torture." 85 PRESTON CAMPBELL 10TH RALLY GP/2ND RALLY2 "I just tried to do my best every day, and some days weren't as good as the others, but I'm happy to be the top rookie and make it into the top 10 overall, so I'm super happy with that," Campbell said. "I can't thank the team enough, and I look forward to the next one." 73 EDGAR CANET 32ND RALLY GP "I won three stages, and Luciano taking the overall win is huge," Edgar Canet said. "I'm super, super happy for him. It's been a crazy Dakar, and I couldn't be happier for the whole team and the entire KTM family. We showed throughout the race which bike is the fastest in the desert, and that was a big objective for us. Now the motivation is even higher to keep working, keep fighting, and keep improving." MYOWNRACE Brabec did everything right in the 2026 Dakar Rally, all except the last few minutes of the final stage.