Kevin turns over a new leaf

January 2 ^nd 2026 - 11:40 [GMT + 3]

The Argentinean, who has twice triumphed on a bike on the Dakar, is switching to four wheels this year for a new adventure into which he is throwing himself but not without some nostalgia for his glorious past.

 As chance would have it, when Kevin Benavides arrived for administrative scrutineering on the morning of 2nd January, he came face to face with the three official KTM team riders. In the dazzle of the photographers’ flash bulbs, the two times winner of the Dakar in the bike category – in 2021 with Honda and 2023 with the Austrian constructor – firstly gave his brother Luciano a big hug before greeting the rest of the orange clan, in whose colours he experienced scrutineering last year. Though he did not know what the ensuing rally would hold in store for him, Kevin still had a good idea that the 2025 edition of the Dakar could be his last on a bike. The Argentinean had not fully recovered from a terrible fall during training that left him fighting for his life for several days and began the rally in very poor form before throwing in the towel on the rest day. It is a painful memory that he is still trying to digest, such is his enduringly strong passion for riding on two wheels. “I miss riding a bike but today I have accepted what happened to me,” he says. “I’m lucky enough to be able to continue riding with my brother but I can’t do it competitively anymore, my arm just won’t let me. In any case, I’m very grateful for what life has given me, especially the opportunity to continue racing, which is something I love doing”. After having tried a buggy, Kevin Benavides decided to take part in the Dakar 2026 in the Challenger category behind the wheel of a BBR team Taurus, alongside Lisano Sisterna, an Argentinean co-pilot who will be participating in his second Dakar. “An SSV is obviously very different from a car,” Kevin points out. “The upside is that it's safer inside and you can put on your gear more quickly. It’s still fun to drive and produces plenty of adrenalin”. The Argentinean is naturally using his experience as a biker to accomplish a successful reconversion, with the ambition of one day joining the Ultimate class. “That’s my biggest asset,” he says. “I know the desert and I know how to get through it. When you ride a bike, you’re the first to leave and open the way. However, I’m remaining realistic: I’m still a beginner in the car category and I have a lot to learn about driving and the technical aspects”. For his debut in the Challenger class, the Argentinean, who nonetheless regrets not being able to pull wheelies with his new machine, is aiming for a top five finish, which is a reasonable objective for a man who has left his mark on the history of the greatest rally-raid.