After winning Saturday’s prologue, Canet set the pace in Stage 1 – a fairly straightforward 524km loop with 305km of competitive action.

Canet completed the stage in 3h16m11s, ending up 1m2s clear of Sanders while Honda’s leading rider Ricky Brabec was third and 1m32s off the pace.

Stage 1 featured narrow passes and jagged rock gardens, though Sanders said he is looking forward to trickier sections where he believes he will thrive.

“It was great to get underway and just be back on the start line,” said Sanders.

“The prologue was much faster than expected and not very technical, so it was pretty much full gas the whole way and the times were very close, but it was good to get it done and focus on the stages ahead.

“Stage one was similar in that sense – very fast and quite straightforward – but the conditions made it tricky, with strong winds, a lot of dust and even a sandstorm at times, which made it hard to stay fully focused.

“Still, it felt good to get through the first proper day without any issues. I’m looking forward to the stages to come when the terrain gets more rocky, which suits me better.”

Canet, who is just 20 years old, will lead the way on Monday for Stage 2 – a gruelling 504km contest with 400km of timed action.

“I’m really happy with how the rally has started,” said Canet.

“Winning the prologue gave me a great feeling straight away and my rhythm was good, I felt confident on the bike and I was able to follow the roadbook with 100 percent confidence, braking before the dangers and avoiding unnecessary risks while still being fast.

“Today’s stage was very demanding with a lot of different terrain, from fast sections to slow, rocky areas, but my navigation was strong and the bike felt great again.

“Apart from a small mistake that cost a few seconds, everything came together nicely, so to take another win and start the rally like this is incredible.”

2026 Dakar Rally Bikes Top 10 after Stage 1