Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders has delivered an outstanding performance on stage four of the 2025 Dakar Rally, claiming his third full stage win of the event and extending his overall lead to 13 minutes. Dakar rookie Edgar Canet impressed once again, finishing as second-fastest in Rally2 and maintaining his provisional class lead by three and a half minutes. Luciano Benavides fought back from early navigation errors to secure 12th place, while Kevin Benavides continued his steady progress, achieving his best stage result of the event so far with 16th.
Stage four challenged competitors with a 415-kilometer timed special through the volcanic landscapes and canyons of AlUla. The technical route led riders to the marathon bivouac for the night where they had just 30 minutes to work on their bikes, with no outside assistance allowed from the KTM team. The marathon stage tested endurance and navigation skills, while also demanding smart tire management to ensure competitors reached the bivouac safely before stage five tomorrow.
Starting stage four from 21st, due to losing several minutes on the previous day’s special, Daniel Sanders knew he had to deliver his best over the course of the day to make up time on his rivals. Increasing his pace as he pursued the 20 riders ahead, Daniel claimed the top spot on the timesheets by kilometer 65. Locked in a battle for the lead until the end of the special, he ultimately finished 15 seconds ahead to secure his third stage win of this year’s event. The Australian currently holds a comfortable lead of 13 minutes and 26 seconds in the overall rally standings and aims to build on that advantage tomorrow as he looks to conclude the first week of the 2025 Dakar on a high note.
Daniel Sanders: “That was a pretty cool stage! I did get lost a bit but nothing that cost me too much time. This area can be really tricky so you have to focus completely, and it will be the same tomorrow. There was a little bit of cat and mouse at the end to decide who would end up opening tomorrow which we haven’t really had yet, so that was quite fun and I’m looking forward to setting off first for the last stage of week one. I’ve extended my lead even more, so I’m really pleased with that. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest day!”
Edgar Canet continued to impress in his Dakar debut, delivering a strong performance on stage four. Staying focused on his roadbook, he pushed hard through the 415-kilometer timed special to finish as the second-fastest Rally2 competitor, also coming home in 11th place overall. Edgar’s impressive result ensured that the 19-year-old maintains his class lead in the provisional standings, where he holds a three-and-a-half-minute advantage after four stages of racing.
Edgar Canet: “That was a long one with a lot of tough navigation and endless rocks for the first 180 kilometers. My rear tire isn’t in the best condition, so I’ll spend most of my 30 minutes working on that to try and get it ready fortomorrow. It’s another long stage tomorrow but I’m looking forward to getting it done and having a rest day on Friday to recover.”
Despite a challenging start caused by navigation errors, Luciano managed to maintain a position within the top 15 throughout the demanding special, ultimately securing 12th place. Currently lying eighth in the overall standings, the Argentinian will look to use his later start position to his advantage tomorrow and try to move up the leaderboard.
Luciano Benavides: “Today was a really tough stage and I made a few big navigation mistakes near the beginning of the special, so I had to push like crazy after the refueling stop to try and get some time back. I’m pretty tired now but time to check over the bike and prepare for tomorrow!”
Kevin Benavides proved his skill and experience on stage four, delivering a cool and calculated ride on the demanding terrain aboard his KTM 450 RALLY. Successfully tackling the complex navigation, Kevin secured an impressive 16th place finish, his highest stage result of the 2025 Dakar edition. Despite not racing at 100% fitness, the 2023 Dakar Champion has successfully completed close to 28 hours of racing so far and moves up to 25th position overall.
Kevin Benavides: “Today was hard again, especially the first really rocky sections. The stage was nice though, a good mix of difficulty throughout the special and starting further back was helpful as there were some lines ahead of me to follow. I’ve got my highest finish of the race so far and to be back in the top 20 after the difficult year I have had feels amazing.”
Provisional Results – 2025 Dakar Rally, Stage 4
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 5:10:33
2. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 5:10:48 +0:15
3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (CHL), Hero, 5:18:22 +7:49
4. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 5:18:41 +8:08
5. Rui Goncalves (PRT), Sherco, 5:19:28 +8:55
Provisional Standings – 2025 Dakar Rally (after 4 of 12 stages)
1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 25:15:33
2. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 25:28:59 +13:26
3. Ross Branch (BWA), Hero, 25:41:43 +26:10
4. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 25:42:34 +27:01
5. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 25:44:46 +29:13
