Daniel Sanders Goes Wire-to-Wire to Win Rally-Raid Portugal

Daniel Sanders has delivered a commanding performance to win Rally-Raid Portugal, Round 2 of the 2026 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, leading the event from start to finish in brutal, rain-affected conditions.

Covering 2,201 kilometres, including 1,269km against the clock, the third edition of the event lived up to its reputation with a mix of fast forest tracks and sandy sections across Portugal and Spain. However, torrential rain transformed the rally into a mud-soaked battle of survival, with deep water crossings and treacherous terrain testing the world’s best.

Fresh from recovering from a shoulder injury sustained at the Dakar Rally, Sanders wasted no time stamping his authority on the event. The Australian edged the short three-kilometre prologue by a single second before backing it up with a dominant stage one performance, winning by two minutes and 10 seconds over 180 kilometres of racing.

From there, the rally evolved into a head-to-head fight between Sanders and Tosha Schareina, with the pair trading stage wins throughout the week. While Schareina claimed stage two, Sanders maintained control of the overall standings and extended his advantage on the demanding 501km stage three loop around Badajoz.

Even when Sanders conceded just over a minute on stage four as the rally returned to Portugal, he carried a crucial 1 minute 46 second buffer into the final day.

The decisive final stage saw Schareina, opening the road, push hard early, with just one second separating the pair at the 43km checkpoint. However, Sanders turned the tide through the second half of the special, building a small but vital advantage before sealing the rally win across the final spectator sprint, ultimately securing victory by 1 minute 56 seconds.

“I’m super happy to get the win here in Portugal,” Sanders said, acknowledging the relentless pressure from his rival. “Tosha was pushing me the whole way in what was a really tough race with slippery, demanding conditions.” After battling through injury earlier in the season, the KTM rider added that the result was a significant turning point, explaining, “It feels great to return to winning form after the injury at Dakar… to get things back on track here gives us a big boost as we fight for back-to-back championships.”

Schareina, forced to settle for second place for the second consecutive year, admitted he had thrown everything at the final stage. “It was a really good battle with Daniel to the end,” he said. “We did everything we could on this last stage and I’m happy for second… now we will focus on Argentina.”

Behind the leading duo, Adrien Van Beveren completed the podium with a consistent ride across the week, finishing 8 minutes and 25 seconds down on Sanders. The Frenchman described the result as a significant comeback after last year’s crash at the event, saying, “Six months ago I finished this race over a cliff and in the hospital, so I’m really happy to be back on the podium… Daniel and Tosha were fast but we were in the fight.”

The final stage top 10 also highlighted the depth of the field, with Portugal’s Manuel Simão fourth and KOVE Factory Racing’s Nicolas Theric fifth, while Martim Ventura impressed in sixth on the day in front of a home crowd.

American pair Skyler Howes and Ricky Brabec endured a challenging week in the unfamiliar wet and technical conditions, finishing seventh and eighth overall, respectively. Howes admitted the terrain pushed him well outside his comfort zone, explaining, “The mud, the slippery tracks, the mountain roads with cliffs on the side, I just got my butt kicked… I didn’t feel comfortable out there.” Brabec echoed those sentiments, adding, “It was a wet rally so something I’m not really used to… the last day was definitely the best, it was drier, so just the way I like it.”

For Red Bull KTM, it was a strong overall showing, with Edgar Canet securing fourth place despite an early tyre gamble that proved costly in the wet conditions. “We didn’t make the perfect tire selection,” Canet admitted, “but… we kept focused and pushed all the way to the end,” with the result lifting him to seventh in the championship standings.

Local Bruno Santos, riding a Husqvarna supported by Frutas Patrícia Pilar and Momento TT, dominated the Rally2 category and finished fifth overall. Overcoming a crash and a clutch problem mid-stage, he posted the fastest Rally2 time and reflected on his performance: “I’m very happy with the Rally2 win, especially after yesterday’s crash. The track was very difficult and wet, but I managed the third-fastest time and the best Rally2 time. These riders are incredible, so to achieve this result feels great.” A two-minute penalty later applied to Santos did not affect his overall Rally2 victory.

Ross Branch delivered a composed and consistent performance throughout the rally, finishing 7th. The Botswanan rider maintained a steady pace across stages to secure valuable championship points. A brief off-track moment in the final mountain section added a late scare, but he recovered quickly to finish safely.

“That’s the end of Rally Portugal, and while I’m happy to wrap it up, it’s been a really enjoyable race.” Branch reflected. “The organisers did a great job putting together a challenging event. It’s not really my kind of terrain, and I didn’t feel completely comfortable throughout the week, but I’m glad to have made it through safely and picked up some valuable championship points.”

Meanwhile, Dakar winner Luciano Benavides salvaged ninth overall after starting as low as 15th following the prologue. Battling both conditions and confidence, the Argentine focused on limiting the damage to his title campaign. “It was not the race I was hoping for,” he said, “but if I kept pushing and finished in one piece, I would be able to keep the lead of the championship, which is super important for me.”

That consistency ensures Benavides retains the overall championship lead heading into his home round, with Schareina now just four points behind and Van Beveren climbing into contention.

In Rally2, local rider Martim Ventura delivered a standout performance on home soil, claiming second overall in the class after a strong late rally charge. “I wanted more from this week… but I managed to do quite a good job,” Ventura said, with his result moving him to second in the Rally2 standings.

Fellow Rally2 contender Preston Campbell also battled through the demanding conditions to finish seventh overall, adapting to terrain far removed from his usual desert racing background.

With two rounds complete, the World Rally-Raid Championship now heads to South America for the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina from May 24–29, where the battle for the 2026 title is set to intensify once again.