Stage 10 of the 2026 Dakar Rally delivered a brutal reminder of why this is the world’s toughest race, where a single moment in the dunes can reshape the entire event.
That moment came for Australian Daniel Sanders, whose heavy crash mid-special broke his collarbone and all but ended his hopes of defending his Dakar crown. Lost time and the fight to manage the pain replaced outright pace, while Adrien Van Beveren dominated the stage to take the win, with Ricky Brabec managing second after stopping briefly to check on Sanders, and Luciano Benavides claiming third despite getting stuck in a soft dune mid-stage.
The ripple effect through the overall standings was immediate. Brabec’s measured pace and quick recovery lifted him into the race lead, while Benavides’ grit and relentless push saw him rise to just 56 seconds behind — setting the stage for a two-horse battle between Honda and KTM as the rally heads into its final days. With the Dakar always ready to defy expectations, every dune and kilometre still holds the potential to rewrite the leaderboard.
After a night spent under the stars following the marathon camp, riders set off early towards Bisha for a punishing 368-kilometre special through deep, energy-sapping sand. What unfolded was a day defined by mistakes, survival and sheer resilience, as soft dunes erased gaps, brought rivals together and ultimately decided the fate of the overall classification.
Out front, Adrien Van Beveren delivered a masterclass in dune riding to storm to his first stage win of the 2026 rally. Drawing on years of sand racing experience, including multiple victories at Le Touquet, the French rider looked completely at home on the towering dunes, gradually reeling in riders ahead and maximising bonus time from the front. By the finish, Van Beveren had claimed his seventh Dakar stage win, a poignant victory that also marked the first French motorbike success of this edition.
“It was a good day to take the win,” Van Beveren said, explaining how the terrain played to his strengths. “We had a lot of sand and this is my terrain, you know I really enjoy it. After the first week, where I had a few problems, it was not easy to regroup and be focused again and try to give my best, but I did it. This stage win is more than a stage win, it’s also a good result after trying to improve everything and get back to my real level.”
Behind him, Ricky Brabec rode with a mix of calculation and composure that would ultimately see him emerge as the new Dakar Rally leader. Starting fourth, the American used the tracks ahead wisely, settling into a strong rhythm before the stage took a dramatic turn. Around kilometre 138, Brabec came across the aftermath of Sanders’ heavy crash in the dunes and stopped immediately to ensure everyone was safe. That decision, rewarded with a crucial time credit, proved decisive.
“The marathon stage was good overall,” Brabec reflected later. “We got to sleep on the ground, under the stars, it was really cool. Overall, the two days were awesome; we did the best job we could, and the outcome is pretty good. My bike is in one piece, so for my mechanics, it’s super awesome. The times are super tight, but it’s a good race for the people watching.”
Second on the stage, Brabec’s ride lifted him to the top of the overall standings, now leading the rally by just 56 seconds after more than 41 hours of racing.
Third on the day was Luciano Benavides, who once again showed why he is Brabec’s closest challenger heading into the final days. Starting ninth, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider immediately made the most of his position, pushing hard and briefly leading the stage before a moment in the dunes nearly unravelled everything. Getting stuck in soft sand after refuelling cost him several minutes, but with help from fellow riders, Benavides regrouped and fought back to secure third.
“It was a really intense day out there,” Benavides said. “I made a mistake after the refuelling and got stuck in a dune, which cost me a few minutes, and for a moment I honestly thought my Dakar might be over. Despite that setback, I felt good on the bike and was able to keep pushing. Now the focus is on regrouping and resetting for tomorrow.”
With Sanders’ troubles, Benavides now sits second overall, just 56 seconds behind Brabec, and the rally has effectively become a straight fight between the Honda and KTM riders.
Fourth on the stage, Skyler Howes continued one of the most consistent Dakar campaigns of his career. Riding his own race through the dunes, the American avoided unnecessary risks and managed the two-day marathon perfectly to hold fifth overall. “I didn’t go out of my comfort zone,” Howes explained. “I was riding my own race today and eventually we caught back up. I would consider this a really good stage.”
Fifth went to Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo, who rebounded strongly after a costly navigation mistake the day before. With no assistance allowed and the pressure of protecting his overall position, the Hero Motosports rider focused on riding cleanly and controlled through the dunes. “Yesterday was very tough for me,” Cornejo admitted. “Today I felt strong on the bike and was able to push. Even if we have lost one position overall, we are still in the fight.”
In sixth, Michael Docherty capped off a huge marathon performance, once again proving his strength in Rally2 competition. The South African completed the two-day test without issue, continuing an impressive Dakar that has already delivered multiple stage wins and standout rides against the RallyGP field.
Seventh place on the stage went to Toni Mulec, who maintained his steady progress and remains solidly inside the overall top ten, continuing a quietly consistent Dakar campaign for the BAS World KTM Team.
Eighth was Tosha Schareina, who paid the price for opening the route in soft dunes after winning the previous stage. Losing significant time early, the Monster Energy Honda HRC rider later stopped alongside Brabec to assist Sanders after his crash, before settling into a steady rhythm to the finish. Despite the time loss, bonus credits lifted Schareina onto the provisional overall podium in third.
Ninth went to Paolo Lucci, who kept his rally intact through a demanding day despite a small time penalty, while tenth was claimed by Edgar Canet, the young Red Bull KTM rider showing maturity beyond his years. Canet twice stopped to assist riders involved in heavy crashes, losing time but earning it back later through reallocated credits. “That’s part of racing,” he said. “The most important thing is helping when someone needs it.”
The day’s defining moment, however, belonged to Daniel Sanders. Running strongly and well placed to defend his overall lead, the Australian crashed heavily off a dune around kilometre 138, breaking his collarbone and aggravating an already injured sternum. Despite the pain, Sanders remounted and brought his KTM home in 16th, but his hopes of a back-to-back Dakar victory were effectively extinguished.
“At 140 kilometres I went over the top of a dune, and it was pretty scary,” Sanders explained. “I knew the collarbone was broken and also the sternum. The hardest part was riding through the dunes and knowing the race situation was changing, but the main focus now is to keep going, manage the pain, and finish the Dakar.”
Now fourth overall and more than 17 minutes off the lead, Sanders’ role shifts from title contender to survivor, as the rally heads into its final stretch with Brabec and Benavides locked in a tense two-way fight.
With Stage 11 looming — a navigation-heavy test with 883 kilometres on the menu — Dakar has once again shown that even when the race appears settled, anything can still happen.
| 2026 Dakar Rally – Stage 10 Results | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | Rider | Nat | Team | Total Time | Gap | Penalty |
| 1st | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | FRA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 15′ 43” | – | – |
| 2nd | 9 | Ricky Brabec | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 19′ 32” | + 00h 03′ 49” | – |
| 3rd | 77 | Luciano Benavides | ARG | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 19′ 47” | + 00h 04′ 04” | – |
| 4th | 10 | Skyler Howes | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 20′ 34” | + 00h 04′ 51” | – |
| 5th | 11 | Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo | CHI | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 04h 22′ 17” | + 00h 06′ 34” | – |
| 6th | 14 | Michael Docherty | RSA | BAS World KTM Team | 04h 25′ 14” | + 00h 09′ 31” | – |
| 7th | 16 | Toni Mulec | SLO | BAS World KTM Team | 04h 26′ 07” | + 00h 10′ 24” | – |
| 8th | 68 | Tosha Schareina | ESP | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 26′ 11” | + 00h 10′ 28” | – |
| 9th | 29 | Paolo Lucci | ITA | RSMoto Rally Team | 04h 30′ 47” | + 00h 15′ 04” | 00h 00′ 10” |
| 10th | 73 | Edgar Canet | ESP | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 34′ 19” | + 00h 18′ 36” | – |
| 11th | 84 | Martim Ventura | POR | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 35′ 35” | + 00h 19′ 52” | – |
| 12th | 26 | Konrad Dabrowski | POL | Duust Rally Team | 04h 36′ 24” | + 00h 20′ 41” | – |
| 13th | 46 | Ross Branch | BOT | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 04h 37′ 06” | + 00h 21′ 23” | – |
| 14th | 85 | Preston Campbell | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 40′ 12” | + 00h 24′ 29” | – |
| 15th | 39 | Benjamin Melot | FRA | Esprit KTM | 04h 40′ 56” | + 00h 25′ 13” | – |
| 16th | 1 | Daniel Sanders | AUS | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 43′ 33” | + 00h 27′ 50” | – |
| 17th | 32 | Tommaso Montanari | ITA | Solarys Racing | 04h 46′ 39” | + 00h 30′ 56” | – |
| 18th | 28 | Nerimantas Jucius | LTU | HT Rally Raid | 04h 47′ 11” | + 00h 31′ 28” | – |
| 19th | 58 | Dovydas Karka | LTU | HT Rally Raid | 04h 50′ 17” | + 00h 34′ 34” | – |
| 20th | 57 | Khaliunbold Erdenebileg | MGL | BAS World KTM Team | 04h 54′ 25” | + 00h 38′ 42” | – |
| 2026 Dakar Rally – Overall Standings After Stage 10 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | Rider | Nat | Team | Total Time | Gap | Penalty |
| 1st | 9 | Ricky Brabec | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 41h 35′ 13” | – | – |
| 2nd | 77 | Luciano Benavides | ARG | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 41h 36′ 09” | + 00h 00′ 56” | – |
| 3rd | 68 | Tosha Schareina | ESP | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 41h 50′ 56” | + 00h 15′ 43” | 00h 10′ 00” |
| 4th | 1 | Daniel Sanders | AUS | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 41h 52′ 50” | + 00h 17′ 37” | 00h 06′ 00” |
| 5th | 10 | Skyler Howes | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 42h 14′ 06” | + 00h 38′ 53” | 00h 02′ 00” |
| 6th | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | FRA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 42h 33′ 38” | + 00h 58′ 25” | – |
| 7th | 11 | Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo | CHI | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 42h 36′ 44” | + 01h 01′ 31” | – |
| 8th | 46 | Ross Branch | BOT | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 43h 56′ 42” | + 02h 21′ 29” | 00h 06′ 10” |
| 9th | 85 | Preston Campbell | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 44h 03′ 28” | + 02h 28′ 15” | – |
| 10th | 16 | Toni Mulec | SLO | BAS World KTM Team | 44h 06′ 51” | + 02h 31′ 38” | 00h 00′ 10” |
| 11th | 7 | Bradley Cox | RSA | Sherco Rally Factory | 45h 45′ 36” | + 04h 10′ 23” | – |
| 12th | 84 | Martim Ventura | POR | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 45h 48′ 48” | + 04h 13′ 35” | – |
| 13th | 26 | Konrad Dabrowski | POL | Duust Rally Team | 45h 57′ 51” | + 04h 22′ 38” | – |
| 14th | 28 | Nerimantas Jucius | LTU | HT Rally Raid | 46h 06′ 00” | + 04h 30′ 47” | – |
| 15th | 57 | Khaliunbold Erdenebileg | MGL | BAS World KTM Team | 46h 18′ 17” | + 04h 43′ 04” | 00h 07′ 10” |
| 16th | 98 | Mason Klein | USA | Hoto Factory Racing | 46h 26′ 41” | + 04h 51′ 28” | 00h 09′ 00” |
| 17th | 35 | Bruno Santos | POR | BS – Frutas Patricia Pilar | 46h 50′ 46” | + 05h 15′ 33” | 00h 06′ 00” |
| 18th | 39 | Benjamin Melot | FRA | Esprit KTM | 47h 17′ 58” | + 05h 42′ 45” | – |
| 19th | 27 | Milan Engel | CZE | Orion – Moto Racing Group | 47h 21′ 58” | + 05h 46′ 45” | 00h 01′ 00” |
| 20th | 44 | Josep Pedró | ESP | RallyBikes – Pedregà Team | 47h 31′ 37” | + 05h 56′ 24” | 00h 07′ 00” |
