“I’m going for a third star”

Kevin Benavides won his second Dakar in 2023, beating Australian Toby Price by 43 seconds. It was a high point for the Argentinean rider, thus fulfilling his personal dream of winning for two manufacturers: Honda and KTM. A season that seemed so promising and such a huge victory was marred by a fractured femur in February in the run-up to Abu Dhabi, and then in August, by a fractured right wrist. Out of contention for the title, Kevin supported and assisted his younger brother Luciano in the two decisive, the DR 40 and Rally Morocco, which won him the W2RC World Championship. As Kevin reflects, it will be a tall order to repeat this unique circumstance of one brother winning the Dakar and the other the World Championship in the motorbike category in the same year. How was the story of this two-time Dakar winner written? The dream began to take shape when he made a dazzling start to the 2016 Dakar when he won the day 3 stage and then finished an astonishing P4. That outstanding debut was followed by a brilliant season with victories in Argentina and abroad. A fortnight before the start of the 2017 Dakar, Kevin endured the heartbreak of being sidelined from the event when he fractured his hand during testing. Kevin came back to show his class at the 2018 Dakar. He fought neck and neck with the leaders until he got lost on stage 10, partially giving up his chances of victory. P2 was both a prize and a challenge. In Peru, Kevin received a harsh three-hour penalty three stages from the end. That circumstance and an engine change affected his performance, leaving him in P12. He was reclassified P5 two months later. Kevin showed exceptional speed on the 2020 Dakar, even managing a stage victory, but on day six, his Honda engine died 44 km from the end of the Dakar. He was stranded in the dunes and lost four hours to get out. The Honda victory was of tremendous motivation for Kevin in 2021. It wasn't until the final kilometre that he knew he had finally triumphed. “That was the most spectacular moment of my life”, he recalls. In April, Kevin transferred from Honda to KTM. On the 2022 Dakar, where he was defending his title, Kevin started the rally on the back foot, dropping almost an hour on the opening stage. On day 10, while in 5th place, just a few minutes behind the leader, an engine failure forced him to retire.

K.B: “When I look back on the 2023 Dakar, I am so proud. Shortly before the finish, I remember the moment, just 12 seconds from the end of the last stage, when I controlled my emotions. Focused, decided, and determined, I did everything I had to do - riding a bike - and I had to do it well. I consider it as a positive experience that motivates me a lot”.
“The year started very well, but I broke my femur before Abu Dhabi. Then, while I was recovering and testing with the team in the USA, I crashed and injured my wrist. All my dreams of fighting for the World Cup were gone. Then I joined my brother in the DR 40, and I think it was important. I decided not to race in Morocco because I wasn't fighting for anything, as it could have been dangerous. I stayed by his side to support and help him during the rally. And I think that was positive. Luciano won the world championship. We as a family are proud and delighted with what we have achieved”.
“What will the next Dakar be like? Every Dakar is unique. And the next one will also be, with that 48-hour stage, that will surely play a different role. We will have to adapt our strategy. I won the Dakar with Honda, I won it with KTM - something that is unprecedented - and it's true that I have nothing to prove. But the motivation is the same: I continue to ride because I love it. I think I have a chance to achieve more. I'm ultra-competitive. I'm going to give my best. I'm going with the hope of winning a third star”.