Motorbike race : Sanders targets a double

December 29 ^th 2026 - 17:18 [GMT + 3]

• One name stands out among the favorites for the title of the 48th edition: 2025 winner Daniel Sanders, almost untouchable throughout the season, is the bookmakers’ favorite to try to retain his title, alongside Luciano Benavides and the promising Edgar Canet at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing.
• Up against the Australian, the Monster Energy Honda HRC team arrives with a strong density of proven talent: Tosha Schareina, Ricky Brabec, Adrien Van Beveren, and Skyler Howes will not be held back by any complexes in their bid for the top.
• Hero MotoSport, with Ross Branch and “Nacho” Cornejo, and Sherco Rally Factory, with Bradley Cox and Lorenzo Santolino, will try to join the battle for the Rally GP podium, as well as for the Rally 2 title. In that category, Tobias Ebster (Hero) and Harith Noah (Sherco) will notably be up against Michael Docherty (BAS World KTM Team).

The record of the last ten Dakar editions offers a snapshot of the recent history of the discipline, which has seen the emergence of solid champions from new continents, the end of KTM’s hegemony, a significantly broadened circle of major contenders, and titles more fiercely contested than during the Despres–Coma era. Over this period, six riders have reached the top, but none has managed to win twice in a row. Daniel Sanders may be the best equipped to do so, if he maintains the level he has shown since reaching full maturity at the same time as his crowning achievement last January. In the wake of his clear victory in a Dakar mastered from start to finish, the Australian rider followed up with wins at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the South African Safari Rally and the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal: a flawless run before securing the W2RC title thanks to his second place at the Rallye du Maroc. Faced with such a convincing series, the Melbourne-based rider-beekeeper arrives both as KTM’s natural leader and the outright favorite for the Saudi rendezvous. Should there be a setback in the Sanders plan, the Austrian manufacturer can rely on two teammates capable of the very best: former world champion Luciano Benavides, who is waiting for his time to step onto the Dakar podium (4th in 2025); and young Spaniard Edgar Canet, impressive when he reached 8th place on his debut at just 19 years old and already consistent, having won the W2RC in the Rally 2 category.

However, the Saudi desert will be anything but a boulevard for “Chucky,” well aware that the fiercest competition will come from the Honda camp, made up of four experienced riders who have already visited the Dakar podium. Double winner Ricky Brabec (2020–24) is the only contender still in the running for a potential third title, but the spotlight is mainly on Tosha Schareina, who also seems ready to fully exploit his potential. The Spaniard was both Sanders’ runner-up at the last Dakar and in the W2RC championship, and above all the only rider to beat him in 2025, thanks to his recent victory at the Rallye du Maroc. The “reds” have another major asset in Adrien Van Beveren, third in the last two editions and always determined to reach the top.

The two most prominent teams do not prevent the outsiders from nurturing high ambitions. Last year, the hopes of former world champion Ross Branch were dashed by an early retirement, but the duo he forms with “Nacho” Cornejo at Hero will attempt to upset the most obvious predictions. That is also the objective of manufacturer Sherco, which has enlisted South African Bradley Cox to pair a new top rider with Lorenzo Santolino: both dream of a podium finish in Yanbu.

Hero and Sherco are engaged in a double challenge, each having in their ranks key players in the Rally 2 category, ready to take advantage of the step up to the elite by reigning champion Edgar Canet. The Indian brand has indeed recruited Tobias Ebster, who tried throughout the year to follow the Catalan prodigy’s pace to finish second in the W2RC standings, while 2024 winner Harith Noah has remained loyal to the French team. The fight for this coveted stepping-stone title should also prominently involve the BAS World KTM structure, which fields South African Michael Docherty, capable of targeting a Top 10 overall finish, as well as Slovenian Toni Mulec (13th in 2025) or Polish rider Konrad Dabrowski (16th in 2025).

Original by Motul: Gyenes–Melot, replaying the duel!

A race within the race! Dakar motorcyclists all have particular respect for those who decide to add an extra difficulty to their challenge: competing without an assistance structure, and therefore taking on the maintenance and repairs of their machine after reaching the bivouac each evening. In Original by Motul, managing mechanics and physical resources is even more crucial than elsewhere. This year, 21 riders have chosen the Dakar the hard way. And while this small group is primarily driven by this unique adventure, a handful of them will also have their eyes firmly fixed on the category standings. Last January’s victory was decided between two regulars, with Romanian Emanuel Gyenes edging out his rival Benjamin Melot after the French rider narrowly missed a waypoint in the final stage. Contenders such as Belgian Jérôme Martiny (2nd in 2024) or Spaniard Javi Vega (2nd in 2023) could also join this duel.