Stage five of the 2026 Dakar Rally brought the brutal two-day marathon stage to a close, and it delivered exactly what Dakar does best – attrition, resilience and major movement in the overall standings.
After a night spent in a makeshift camp without outside assistance, riders set off towards Ha’il knowing bike preservation, tyre management and clear-headed navigation would matter just as much as outright speed across the 414-kilometre route, including 356 kilometres against the clock.
Tyre survival quickly emerged as the defining factor of the marathon stage, with the unforgiving terrain exposing even the front-runners and triggering a significant shake-up in both the stage results and the overall classification. Several of the regular top-ten contenders were forced into damage-limitation mode after rear mousse failures and sidewall damage, most notably Ross Branch, Tosha Schareina, who was hammered with a 10-minute penalty, Skyler Howes, and Edgar Canet, all of whom lost substantial time after overnight repairs or on-stage failures. The attrition opened the door for riders who managed their equipment more conservatively, while Australia’s Daniel Sanders was able to capitalise on the chaos by limiting his losses and reclaiming the overall lead, underlining just how decisive tyre management had become as Dakar’s marathon test reached its conclusion.
At the sharp end, Luciano Benavides produced one of the rides of the rally so far, charging to victory in 4h 05’16’’. Starting the day with six riders ahead of him, the Argentine wasted no time clawing back ground. An early navigation mistake and a high-speed crash failed to derail his charge, and by kilometre 240, he had moved into the stage lead. From there, Benavides balanced pace with mechanical sympathy to secure his first stage win of Dakar 2026 and the sixth of his Dakar career, a result that vaulted him to third overall after he recovered close to six minutes on the rally leader.
Reflecting on a demanding day, Benavides explained that it was anything but straightforward, saying the pace was extremely high from the start and that he had to stay calm after a small navigation mistake early on. He admitted the high-speed crash was a big moment, but was relieved that nothing was damaged, allowing him to continue without losing confidence. From there, he committed to riding his own race, managing the tyres and staying consistent to the finish, adding that tyre management was especially critical and that the stage win gave him a huge boost of confidence for the days ahead.
Three minutes and 51 seconds back, Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo delivered one of his most composed rides of the rally to secure second place on the stage. The Chilean approached the marathon stages with patience, conserving tyres and mousse through some of the roughest terrain Dakar has thrown up this year. Holding firm in second by the 141-kilometre mark, Cornejo maintained a strong, controlled rhythm to the finish, even passing several of the rally’s fastest riders along the way. The result marked his first top-two stage finish since Stage 10 of the 2024 Dakar and lifted him to fifth overall, underlining his growing momentum as the event moves deeper into the second week.
Cornejo described the two marathon days as extremely tough, particularly on tyres, explaining that smart riding and patience were essential. He said the strategy paid off with solid results and valuable gains in the overall standings, while also acknowledging the disappointment of seeing teammate Ross Branch run into trouble, stressing that the focus now is on continuing to push together as a team.
Australia’s Daniel Sanders rounded out the stage podium with a measured and intelligent ride to third, finishing 5’50’’ behind Benavides. Managing worsening tyre damage carried over from the opening leg of the marathon, Sanders adjusted his pace early, prioritising survival over risk. By backing off through the middle sector and resisting the temptation to chase stage honours, the defending champion limited his losses and crucially, regained the overall lead of the Dakar, now sitting at 20h 58’10’’ after five stages.
Sanders said the marathon was very different to anything seen before, with bike and tyre management proving decisive. He explained that after checking the tyres at the first refuel, he knew they could become an issue, and by the second day, the damage had worsened, forcing him to ride conservatively. While he admitted it was frustrating not to push, he was satisfied with how the situation was managed and stressed that with the rally nearing its halfway point, there is still a long way to go.
In fourth on the stage was Bradley Cox, who continued his impressive Dakar debut for Sherco Rally Factory. Cox stopped the clocks at 4h 12’38’’, his strongest stage result so far, and climbed to eighth overall after another clean and consistent day aboard the Sherco. Clearly buoyed by the performance, Cox thanked his team for providing him with a strong bike and backing him throughout the rally.
Fifth on the day went to Ricky Brabec, who arrived in Ha’il 9’16’’ down after a demanding run that included tricky navigation across rocky plateaus. Starting second on the road, the American pushed hard in an effort to overhaul teammate Tosha Schareina and bank valuable bonus time. While he managed to catch Schareina and secure two minutes in bonuses, the reshuffle in the standings saw Brabec slip to second overall, now just 2’02’’ behind Sanders.
Brabec reflected on his broader Dakar journey, noting that injuries last season limited his preparation, but added that he feels comfortable and confident this year, with a bike that suits him well. While he admitted everyone wants to stand on the top step, his focus remains on finishing the rally safely and competitively.
Just one second further back on the stage was Neels Theric, who continued to impress on the Chinese Kove 450 Rally. Sixth on the day and seventh outright in the scratch classification, the Frenchman again dominated his category and showcased Kove’s growing competitiveness against the established factory teams.
“Very happy with this result. It represents a huge amount of hard work from me and my whole team. There are still plenty of stages left to improve. Let’s go,” the Frenchman said.
Seventh place belonged to Mason Klein, who brought his HOTO Factory Racing machine home after another steady and drama-free day, consolidating valuable kilometres as the American continues to build his rally rhythm after earlier setbacks in the event.
Eighth on stage five was Konrad Dabrowski, with the Duust Rally Team rider maintaining consistency through the marathon’s unforgiving terrain to remain firmly in contention inside the top ten on the day.
Ninth on the stage, and another standout story of the marathon, was Preston Campbell, who continued to lead the Rally2 category. Arriving at the bivouac well-rested and free of tyre issues, Campbell rode smartly to Ha’il, finishing just over five minutes behind Rally2 stage winner Theric. His third-place Rally2 result extended his overall category lead to 20 minutes. The American rookie remained grounded afterwards, explaining that his approach is to take the rally day by day, focus on navigation and consistency, and avoid unnecessary risks, while also enjoying the unique experience of the marathon camp.
Rounding out the top ten on the stage was Toni Mulec, who guided his BAS World KTM Team entry through another demanding day to finish just under 17 minutes behind the stage winner.
Further back, the marathon stage proved costly for several key contenders. Ross Branch endured a survival mission after rear tyre damage from the opening leg eventually led to mousse failure, dropping him to 48th on the stage and down to 10th overall. Branch admitted luck was not on his side, explaining that once the mousse failed early on day two, the focus became simply reaching the finish and staying in the rally.
Skyler Howes also limped into Ha’il after improvising extensive bush repairs to a damaged rear tyre overnight. Forced to nurse the bike for much of the stage, Howes finished more than 20 minutes down and now sits sixth overall, relieved to finally reach a bivouac where his Honda could be properly serviced.
Tosha Schareina’s marathon was equally dramatic. After damaging his rear tyre on the opening leg, the Spaniard spent the night reinforcing it with plastic and metal clamps. Opening the road again on stage five, he focused on survival and damage limitation, initially finishing fifth on the road. However, a post-stage penalty for missing a control dropped him to 12th on the stage, and he now sits fourth overall, 11’59’’ behind Sanders.
Adrien Van Beveren’s Dakar frustrations continued when he was forced to stop early in the stage to remove wires lodged in his rear wheel, costing him significant time. The Monster Energy Honda HRC rider finished more than half an hour back and now faces a tough road ahead, sitting seventh overall.
One of the biggest casualties of the day was Edgar Canet. After a strong opening to the marathon and briefly leading early on stage five, damage to his rear mousse around kilometre 240 forced repairs and cost the young Spaniard more than an hour. Canet said the priority quickly shifted from performance to survival, but despite finishing in the dark and losing significant time, he viewed the experience as valuable learning in just his second Dakar.
Australian privateer David Brock endured one of the toughest tests of his Dakar debut across the Stage 5 marathon, describing a long, grinding day that demanded patience more than outright speed. The 55-year-old firefighter found the opening kilometres slow-going through sandy, rocky tracks and deep sand where line choice was difficult, before the route opened onto vast rocky plateaus with no visible tracks, forcing riders to rely purely on cap headings for navigation. Brock admitted to missing a waypoint in the featureless terrain and electing not to return, choosing instead to preserve energy and equipment, before tackling open country and then a brutally technical run through stony singletrack to the finish. After two days without assistance, Brock summed it up as “very long, rough, difficult days”, another hard-earned chapter in his first Dakar Rally. Brock moved into 84th overall and 15th in the Vet class.
With the marathon stage complete and the rally now edging towards its second half, the focus turns to stage six – the longest of this year’s Dakar. Riders will face a punishing 589-kilometre liaison followed by a 331-kilometre special towards Riyadh, with dunes expected to favour the sand specialists and further shake up an already volatile leaderboard.
| 2026 Dakar Rally – Stage 5 Results | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | Rider | Nat | Team | Time | Gap | Penalty |
| 1st | 77 | Luciano Benavides | ARG | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 05′ 16” | – | – |
| 2nd | 11 | Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo | CHI | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 04h 09′ 07” | + 00h 03′ 51” | – |
| 3rd | 1 | Daniel Sanders | AUS | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 11′ 06” | + 00h 05′ 50” | – |
| 4th | 7 | Bradley Cox | RSA | Sherco Rally Factory | 04h 12′ 38” | + 00h 07′ 22” | – |
| 5th | 9 | Ricky Brabec | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 14′ 32” | + 00h 09′ 16” | – |
| 6th | 66 | Neels Theric | FRA | Kove Factory Racing | 04h 14′ 33” | + 00h 09′ 17” | – |
| 7th | 98 | Mason Klein | USA | HOTO Factory Racing | 04h 18′ 11” | + 00h 12′ 55” | – |
| 8th | 26 | Konrad Dabrowski | POL | Duust Rally Team | 04h 19′ 13” | + 00h 13′ 57” | – |
| 9th | 85 | Preston Campbell | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 19′ 43” | + 00h 14′ 27” | – |
| 10th | 16 | Toni Mulec | SLO | BAS World KTM Team | 04h 21′ 59” | + 00h 16′ 43” | – |
| 11th | 57 | Khaliunbold Erdenebileg | MGL | BAS World KTM Team | 04h 23′ 23” | + 00h 18′ 07” | – |
| 12th | 68 | Tosha Schareina | ESP | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 24′ 29” | + 00h 19′ 13” | 00h 10′ 00” |
| 13th | 84 | Martim Ventura | POR | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 26′ 03” | + 00h 20′ 47” | – |
| 14th | 28 | Nerimantas Jucius | LTU | HT Rally Raid | 04h 27′ 06” | + 00h 21′ 50” | – |
| 15th | 10 | Skyler Howes | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 27′ 09” | + 00h 21′ 53” | – |
| 16th | 41 | Ruy Barbosa | CHI | HT Rally Raid | 04h 30′ 54” | + 00h 25′ 38” | – |
| 17th | 27 | Milan Engel | CZE | Orion – Moto Racing Group | 04h 33′ 53” | + 00h 28′ 37” | – |
| 18th | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | FRA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 37′ 37” | + 00h 32′ 21” | – |
| 19th | 78 | Arnau Lledó | ESP | Pedregà Team | 04h 37′ 43” | + 00h 32′ 27” | – |
| 20th | 44 | Josep Pedró | ESP | RallyBikes – Pedregà Team | 04h 40′ 24” | + 00h 35′ 08” | – |
| 2026 Dakar Rally – Overall Standings After Stage 5 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | Rider | Nat | Team | Time | Gap | Penalty |
| 1st | 1 | Daniel Sanders | AUS | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 20h 58′ 10” | – | – |
| 2nd | 9 | Ricky Brabec | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 21h 00′ 12” | + 00h 02′ 02” | – |
| 3rd | 77 | Luciano Benavides | ARG | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 21h 04′ 05” | + 00h 05′ 55” | – |
| 4th | 68 | Tosha Schareina | ESP | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 21h 10′ 09” | + 00h 11′ 59” | 00h 10′ 00” |
| 5th | 11 | Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo | CHI | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 21h 16′ 48” | + 00h 18′ 38” | – |
| 6th | 10 | Skyler Howes | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 21h 27′ 27” | + 00h 29′ 17” | 00h 02′ 00” |
| 7th | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | FRA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 21h 50′ 41” | + 00h 52′ 31” | – |
| 8th | 7 | Bradley Cox | RSA | Sherco Rally Factory | 21h 59′ 41” | + 01h 01′ 31” | – |
| 9th | 85 | Preston Campbell | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 22h 14′ 13” | + 01h 16′ 03” | – |
| 10th | 46 | Ross Branch | BOT | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 22h 22′ 03” | + 01h 23′ 53” | 00h 06′ 00” |
| 11th | 26 | Konrad Dabrowski | POL | Duust Rally Team | 22h 34′ 31” | + 01h 36′ 21” | – |
| 12th | 16 | Toni Mulec | SLO | BAS World KTM Team | 22h 35′ 07” | + 01h 36′ 57” | – |
| 13th | 57 | Khaliunbold Erdenebileg | MGL | BAS World KTM Team | 23h 12′ 29” | + 02h 14′ 19” | 00h 06′ 10” |
| 14th | 28 | Nerimantas Jucius | LTU | HT Rally Raid | 23h 17′ 03” | + 02h 18′ 53” | – |
| 15th | 41 | Ruy Barbosa | CHI | HT Rally Raid | 23h 17′ 16” | + 02h 19′ 06” | 00h 06′ 00” |
| 16th | 98 | Mason Klein | USA | Hoto Factory Racing | 23h 17′ 48” | + 02h 19′ 38” | 00h 02′ 00” |
| 17th | 35 | Bruno Santos | POR | BS – Frutas Patricia Pilar | 23h 49′ 37” | + 02h 51′ 27” | – |
| 18th | 84 | Martim Ventura | POR | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 23h 53′ 03” | + 02h 54′ 53” | – |
| 19th | 78 | Arnau Lledó | ESP | Pedregà Team | 24h 15′ 18” | + 03h 17′ 08” | 00h 00′ 10” |
| 20th | 32 | Tommaso Montanari | ITA | Solarys Racing | 24h 22′ 26” | + 03h 24′ 16” | – |
