Sanders
Leads Desafio
Ruta 40
R
ed Bull KTM Factory Racing
rider Daniel Sanders made
the ideal start to round three of
the 2026 FIM World Rally-Raid
Championship, May 25, the
Argentine Desafio Ruta 40 Rally,
by claiming victory in Stage One
and moving into the early lead
of the event. The Australian was
immediately on the pace across
the demanding 211-mile timed
section around San Juan, setting
the benchmark with a time of
3:35:12.
Sanders steadily increased
his advantage throughout the
day and ultimately finished more
than six minutes ahead of the
chasing pack, giving KTM an
early upper hand in the RallyGP
category. The stage featured a
mix of rocky terrain, high-speed
tracks and tricky navigation that
quickly spread out the field after
the opening kilometers.
Monster Energy Honda HRC
rider Tosha Schareina complet
-
ed the stage in second position
after a measured performance
that kept the Spaniard within
striking distance heading into
today's (May 26) second leg.
Fellow Honda rider Ricky Bra
-
bec was the leading American
in third overall, the Californian
producing a consistent ride
while avoiding costly navigation
mistakes in the difficult Argen-
tine conditions.
Another strong result for the
United States came from Skyler
Howes, with the Honda rider
ending the day fourth overall
after remaining inside the lead
-
ing group for most of the stage.
Current Dakar and former World
Rally-Raid Champion Luciano
Benavides took the Prologue
Stage on Saturday and complet-
ed the top five for Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing after Stage One,
the Argentine some 10 minutes
behind his teammate Sanders.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally
rider Ross Branch finished sixth
ahead of KTM-mounted Edgar
Canet and Honda's Adrien Van
Beveren as the leading manufac
-
turers remained tightly matched
in the early stages of the rally.
In the Rally2 category, Honda
riders Bruno Crivilin and Martim
Ventura both impressed by se
-
curing places inside the overall
top 10 after the first full day of
racing.
CN
Desafio Ruta 40 Rally (Top 10)
Stage One
1. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 03:40:28
2. Tosha Schareina (Hon) +05:44
3. Ricky Brabec (Hon) +07:10
4. Skyler Howes (Hon) +09:16
5. Luciano Benavides (KTM) +10:00
6. Ross Branch (Her) +11:35
7. Edgar Canet (KTM) +11:45
8. Adrien Van Beveren (Hon) +13:43
9. Martim Ventura (Hon) +17:59
10. Bruno Crivilin (Hon) +18:16
WIND
IN THE
P38
World Champion Daniel Sanders led the
early running in the Desafio Ruta 40.
