Stage eight of the 2026 Dakar Rally saw riders complete a demanding loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, with a 483-kilometer timed special forming part of a 721-kilometer total distance. Constant changes in rhythm through dunes, sandy tracks, and technical canyon sections placed a strong emphasis on navigation and concentration throughout the day.
Opening the special, courtesy of his stage seven win, Benavides’ experience shone through as he led from the front for the entire 483-kilometer timed special. By steadily increasing his pace as the stage progressed, Luciano earned seven minutes and 28 seconds of bonus time and topped the stage by close to five minutes ahead of second-placed Sanders. The result elevates the Argentine to the lead of the provisional rally standings, just 10 seconds ahead of his teammate.
Luciano Benavides: “I felt like I did a really good job today. I pushed all day and felt super good on the bike. I especially like these faster stages where I can read the roadbook well and make good decisions. The last part was crazy with the wind. I couldn’t see the piste, which made navigation really difficult, but overall, it was another strong day, and I picked up a lot of bonus time. To be leading the rally feels amazing, but there’s still a long way to go. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.”
Fourth into today’s stage, Sanders pushed hard for the entire route, aiming to stay ahead of race rival Ricky Brabec. The pair remained closely matched throughout the stage, with Sanders ultimately beating Brabec to the finish by just 12 seconds. With Benavides collecting all the available bonus time on today’s stage, Sanders now lies second overall and will aim to chase down his teammate on tomorrow’s stage nine.
Daniel Sanders: “The stage was extremely fast today with easier navigation, which made it very difficult to make up time on the riders out front. 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.”
Continuing to build on his Dakar experience, Canet delivered another strong performance on stage eight that saw the RallyGP rookie place seventh. Despite making a couple of navigational errors on the extremely fast special, Edgar was able to quickly get back on track without losing too much momentum. The stage one winner now looks ahead to Tuesday’s stage nine, where he will be aiming to make up time on the front runners and continue to support his Red Bull KTM teammates.
Edgar Canet: “Stage eight is finished and it was a really long day. Luciano started ahead of me and was just 10 seconds in front, but I didn’t see him all day and rode completely alone for around 400 kilometers. Later, Daniel arrived, and from there we brought it home. It was a long day at the office, but I’m really happy to arrive safely here at the finish. Now we’re focused and ready for stage nine.”
Tuesday marks the first leg of the event’s second marathon stage. Riders will leave Wadi Ad-Dawasir on a route that totals 541 kilometers, 418 of which are timed special. As always, no outside assistance is permitted as competitors spend the night under the stars at the bivouac refuge. Wednesday will see riders continue to Bisha, where they will be reunited with their teams.
Provisional Results – 2026 Dakar Rally, Stage 8
1. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 4:26:39
2. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 4:31:29 +4:50
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 4:31:41 +5:02
4. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 4:36:26 +9:47
5. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 4:38:35 +11:56
Provisional Standings – 2026 Dakar Rally (after 8 of 13 stages)
1. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 33:18:50
2. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 33:19:00 +0:10
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 33:23:37 +4:47
4. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 33:39:03 +20:13
5. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 33:59:56 +41:06
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