In his first Dakar for the factory Monster Energy Honda team, Schareina set a time of 17:35s through the 28km in the sand and rocks of AlUla, where the race will be on in earnest tomorrow.

The Spaniard had a fall along the way but, despite all of the big names starting after him, his effort would prove the quickest.

Two-time Dakar champion Sam Sunderland was the first to come close to knocking him off, the Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing rider completing the special 28 seconds slower than the Spaniard did.

Sunderland, who crashed out of Dakar 2023 on Stage 1, was then usurped by GasGas team-mate Sanders, who is himself not necessarily at full fitness after a training incident last year.

Sanders would take second in a time of 17:47s, with third ultimately going to Hero Motosports’ Ross Branch at another seven seconds off the pace.

Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda) ended up fourth, from 2023 World Rally-Raid Champion Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna Factory Racing), Sunderland, and Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy Honda).

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Toby Price, who is aiming for a third Dakar crown, was eighth-quickest at 51 seconds off the pace, with team-mate Kevin Benavides one position further back on his KTM 450 RF.

In 10th position was Mason Klein (KORR), whose Kove motorcycle did make it to scrutineering in time thanks to a mad dash to Dubai to retrieve it after being held up in customs.

Notables further back include 2020 Dakar champ Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda), an early DNF last year, in 13th position, just ahead of Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Monster Energy Honda) and Joan Barreda Bort (Hero Motosports).

No coefficient has been applied to the Prologue times this year, with riders now able to select their starting positions for Stage 1.

That is an all-new stage from AlUla to Al Henakiyah, with riders to make their way around volcanoes in a journey spanning 541km, of which 414km is special running.

General classification: Bikes Top 10