Less than 24 hours after sustaining a broken collarbone and sternum, the Australian lined up for one of the longest days of the rally, tackling an 883-kilometre route from Bisha to Al Henakiyah.
With a long liaison and a navigation-heavy special, Sanders adopted a conservative approach aboard his KTM 450 RALLY, prioritising control and safety across the demanding terrain.
Managing pain through fast desert tracks and technical rocky sections, the 31-year-old focused on reaching the finish rather than chasing outright pace.
He ultimately brought the bike home in 13th place, remaining fourth overall with two stages left to run in the rally.
“I definitely felt every bump out there today,” Sanders said.
“It was an enjoyable stage overall and one I remembered from last year, especially the fast, flat sections, but once we hit the rocks and sand it became really tough.
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“Any section where you had to hold onto the bike and fight it, you could really feel it through the collarbone.”
Sanders said completing the stage was the priority as he continues to manage his injuries through the closing days of the event.
“It wasn’t pleasant, but I’m happy to get through another day,” he said.
“With two stages still to go, I’d much rather be out there riding and finishing the race than watching from the sidelines.
“The focus now is simply to keep going and make it to the end.”
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Out front, Honda rider Skyler Howes won the stage, leading home teammate Adrien Van Beveren, while Edgar Canet completed the podium in third. Luciano Benavides finished fourth on the stage to reclaim the overall lead by 23 seconds with two stages remaining.
The Dakar Rally continues on Friday with the penultimate Stage 12, a 720-kilometre day featuring a 311-kilometre timed special.
2026 Dakar Rally Bikes Top 10 after Stage 11
| Pos | Num | Rider | Team | Time | Diff | Penalty |
| 1 | 77 | Luciano Benevides | KTM Factory Racing Team | 44h48m48s | ||
| 2 | 9 | Ricky Brabec | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 44h49m11s | 23s | |
| 3 | 68 | Tosha Schareina | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 45h04m04s | 15m16s | 10m |
| 4 | 1 | Daniel Sanders | KTM Factory Racing Team | 45h12m20s | 23m32s | 6m |
| 5 | 10 | Skyler Howes | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 45h23m08s | 34m20s | 2m |
| 6 | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 45h43m01s | 54m13s | |
| 7 | 11 | Ignacio Cornejo | Hero Motorsports Team Rally | 45h59m38s | 1h10m50s | |
| 8 | 46 | Ross Branch | Hero Motorsports Team Rally | 47h14m44s | 2h25m56s | 6m10s |
| 9 | 16 | Toni Mulec | BAS World KTM | 47h25m26s | 2h36m38s | 10s |
| 10 | 85 | Preston Campbell | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 47h27m53s | 2h39m05s |
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