Sanders maintains Dakar lead after gritty stage seven

Stage seven marked the rally’s departure from Riyadh and the move south toward Wadi Ad-Dawasir, with competitors tackling an 877-kilometre route that included a 459-kilometre timed special across fast tracks and extended dune sections.

Sanders’ Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Luciano Benavides claimed his second stage win of the rally, while Sanders recovered from an early mistake to finish fourth and extend his overall lead to four minutes and 25 seconds.

The 31-year-old said an error near the start of the stage made it difficult to regain time on a day where gaps were hard to create.

“I made one mistake at the start and lost two or three minutes, which was unfortunate,” Sanders said.

“After that, it was hard to catch the guys in front because it was such a fast stage and difficult to make a difference.”

As the stage progressed, Sanders was able to take advantage of the closing kilometres, where bonus time became a factor among the leading riders on the road.

“After the second refuel the leading riders on stage had slowed up to calculate the bonus, so I put the hammer down and pulled away to make sure they didn’t get any,” he said.

“I pushed as hard as I could to the finish.”

Sanders’ fourth-place result, combined with a challenging day for Honda rider Ricky Brabec, allowed the Australian to increase his rally lead. Brabec finished 10th on the stage and dropped time in the overall classification.

Benavides led the stage from early on and controlled the pace to the finish, winning by almost five minutes after starting sixth on the road.

The result moved the Argentine to third overall, less than five minutes behind Sanders.

“I’m really pleased to take my second stage win of the race today,” Benavides said.

“I pushed all day and felt great out there. Starting the second week like this is really positive, I’m in good shape and highly motivated.”

Edgar Canet completed a strong day for KTM by finishing second on the stage after working his way through the field following an early navigation issue.

“Stage seven was really fast,” Canet said.

“I got lost right at the beginning, around kilometre 15, but after that, I was able to find my rhythm and get stuck in to chasing down the riders in front.”

Sanders said he was encouraged by his form heading into the next test of the rally.

“I feel good today, I rode well, and I’m just getting warmed up,” he said.

“The bike is working really well, my body feels strong, and I’m ready for a big day tomorrow.”

Stage eight on Monday features the longest timed special of the 2026 Dakar Rally at 481 kilometres, along with a 236-kilometre liaison, as the field completes a loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir.

2026 Dakar Rally Bikes Top 10 after Stage 7