Benavides claimed his second consecutive stage win on Monday in a demanding loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, using the advantage of opening the road to full effect across the 483-kilometre timed special.

The Argentine’s reward was a haul of bonus time that lifted him into the provisional rally lead, just 10 seconds clear of Sanders.

The stage was the longest of this year’s Dakar and formed part of a 721km total route, featuring a punishing mix of high-speed desert tracks, dunes and technical canyon sections.

Navigation and concentration proved critical throughout, particularly as conditions deteriorated late in the day.

Sanders, who started fourth on the road, pushed hard across the stage and finished second fastest, but was unable to counter the advantage Benavides gained from leading early and collecting the maximum available bonuses.

The Australian also held off American rival Ricky Brabec, beating him to the finish by just 12 seconds to limit the overall damage.

Despite losing the rally lead, Sanders said the nature of the stage made it almost impossible to claw back time on those ahead.

“The stage was extremely fast today with easier navigation, which made it very difficult to make up time on the riders out front,” Sanders said.

“Starting from fourth, any small mistake meant there was no chance to close the gap unless the leaders made an error. The wind was tough at the end, pushing the bike around and making it hard to reach top speed, with dust and sand hitting our faces and reducing visibility.

“Things are a lot closer at the front now, but still, I’m happy to reach another stage finish, and now we can regroup and get ready for the final days.”

For Benavides, the result marked a significant milestone, with the KTM rider leading the Dakar overall for the first time in his career.

His performance was built on consistency across the entire stage, gradually increasing his pace while maintaining clean navigation despite worsening visibility.

Behind the leading KTM duo, Brabec remains third overall, now 4 minutes and 47 seconds off the lead, as the front three continue to assert themselves as the standout contenders in this year’s event.

Stage 9 will mark the first leg of the event’s second marathon stage, with riders departing Wadi Ad-Dawasir on a 541km route, including 418km against the clock.

2026 Dakar Rally Bikes Top 10 after Stage 8