Stage five brought the marathon stage to a close as riders set off from the makeshift campsite and headed toward Ha’il, following a night spent without outside assistance. With competitors required to manage their own maintenance in the spartan bivouac, the day placed renewed emphasis on reliability and physical endurance. The bikes covered a total distance of 414 kilometers, including 356 kilometers raced against the clock, on a route where accurate navigation proved critical throughout.
Pushing hard right from the start, Benavides immediately began to make up ground on the six riders ahead of him early in the stage. A crash early on couldn’t slow the Argentine’s progress and by kilometer 240, he moved into the lead of the stage. Navigating well and maintaining a strong pace while conserving his machine, Luciano claimed his first stage win of the 2026 Dakar and the sixth of his career. By clawing back close to six minutes on the rally leader, Benavides now lies third overall in the provisional standings.
Luciano Benavides: “The pace was extremely high all day and I felt strong from the start. I had a small navigation mistake early on, but I stayed calm and focused on keeping a good rhythm. I then had a big high-speed crash, but thankfully nothing was damaged and I was able to get back on the bike and continue without losing confidence. From that moment on, I just committed to pushing and riding my own race, managing the tires and staying consistent right to the finish. Tire management was especially important today, and I’m really happy with how I handled it. Winning the stage after everything it took to be here is very special for me and gives me a huge boost of confidence and motivation for the days to come.”
Managing a difficult second day of the marathon stage, Sanders delivered a controlled and intelligent ride to secure third place on stage five. Aware of increasing damage to his tires after the opening kilometers, the Australian adjusted his speed to protect both the bike and himself over the demanding special. Adapting his pace through the middle section of the stage, Sanders limited his time loss to the front runners, regaining the overall rally lead as the Dakar reached its sixth consecutive day of competition.
Daniel Sanders: “It was a very different marathon stage to what we’ve seen before, and bike and tire management were key. I was able to make some time early on yesterday, but after checking the tires at the first refuel I knew they could become an issue, so we had to manage them carefully. This morning the damage was getting worse, so the priority was not to push too hard and risk ending the race. I backed it off through the middle section and focused on getting to the finish, which was the right call. I’m happy to have limited the time lost and managed the situation well. We’re nearly at the halfway point now, but the rally is far from over. Tomorrow will be important to assess where we stand, and there’s still a lot of racing to come.”
It was a day of contrasting fortunes for Canet on stage five. After completing the first half of the marathon stage in eighth place, the Spaniard had an ideal opportunity to make up time and immediately moved into the lead from the first checkpoint. His progress was halted at around kilometer 240 when damage to his rear mousse forced him to stop and make repairs. Battling on despite the setback, the 20-year-old reached the finish to complete the stage, though he lost a significant amount of time.
Edgar Canet: “Stage five was much tougher than we expected, but that’s Dakar. The most important thing for me was simply to reach the finish, regardless of the time loss. The first 200 kilometers felt incredible – I was really in sync with the bike, the navigation, and the speed, probably the best feeling I’ve ever had on the bike. After hitting a rock and damaging the rear wheel, the priority completely changed and the rest of the stage was about surviving and bringing the bike back to the bivouac, which I managed to do, even if it was in the dark. Of course I lost a lot of time, but this is all part of the learning process. It’s only my second Dakar, and for me, every kilometer is valuable experience. I’m already focused on tomorrow and ready to move on and keep learning.”
Tomorrow’s stage six will take riders from Ha’il to Riyadh and marks the longest day of the 2026 Dakar Rally. After an early start, the route promises rewards for those who thrive in the dunes, with the special running largely through the sand-heavy Qassim region. In total, riders will cover a massive 920 kilometers, including 331 kilometers against the clock, before a long liaison leads them to the capital city for the rally’s rest day.
Provisional Results – 2026 Dakar Rally, Stage 5
1. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 4:05:16
2. Ignacio Cornejo (CHI), Hero, 4:09:07 +3:51
3. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 4:11:06 +5:50
4. Bradley Cox (RSA), Sherco, 4:12:38 +7:22
5. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 4:14:32 +9:16
Provisional Standings – 2026 Dakar Rally (after 5 of 13 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 20:58:10
2. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 21:00:12 +2:02
3. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 21:04:05 +5:55
4. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 21:10:09 +11:59
5. Ignacio Cornejo (CHI), Hero, 21:16:48 +18:38
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