Stage seven of the 2026 Dakar Rally marked the start of week two in emphatic fashion, with Luciano Benavides delivering a commanding performance to take his second stage win of the event, while Daniel Sanders continued to build his advantage in the overall standings despite fierce pressure from the chasing pack.
The demanding 877-kilometre route from Riyadh to Wadi ad-Dawasir featured a punishing mix of fast open valleys, high-speed tracks and extended dune sections, with 459 kilometres against the clock. Navigation, rhythm and restraint were critical as the stage tightened into narrower, more technical terrain later in the day, making it a true Dakar test after the rest day reset.
Benavides was unstoppable from the outset. Starting sixth into the special, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider attacked early and had already built a margin of more than a minute by the 100-kilometre mark. From there, the Argentine only grew stronger, managing the fast sections and dunes with confidence to claim the stage win by 4’57”. The result moves him firmly into the overall title conversation, now sitting third overall just 4’40” behind rally leader Sanders. Benavides said he felt comfortable and fully in control all day, explaining that starting the second week with a stage win left him highly motivated and physically strong as Dakar heads deeper into its decisive phase.
Behind him, young teammate Edgar Canet produced one of the rides of the day. Recovering from a difficult end to week one, the Spaniard fought back from a 15th-place start and sliced through the field with impressive speed and composure to finish second on the stage. Despite getting lost early around kilometre 15, Canet found his rhythm and steadily hunted down riders ahead, later describing the stage as super-fast and one where he felt a great connection with the bike. While his overall position still reflects earlier troubles, his pace suggests he will be a key player as the rally unfolds.
Third on the stage went to Adrien Van Beveren, who finally found a turning point after a frustrating opening week. Changes made to his bike during the rest day paid immediate dividends, with the Frenchman enjoying the dunes and fast terrain far more than earlier in the rally. The Frenchman admitted the day was about enjoyment as much as results, relishing the flat-out final sections and feeling re-energised after improved suspension settings. Although he remains nearly 56 minutes back in the overall standings, the 11-time Dakar competitor now has renewed confidence and will target stage wins in the days ahead.
Fourth place was enough for Daniel Sanders to strengthen his grip on the Tuareg Trophy. The Australian endured an early mistake that cost him a couple of minutes, but once settled, he methodically reeled in riders ahead and timed his push perfectly to capitalise on bonus seconds late in the stage. Sanders’ smart ride extended his overall lead to 4’25”, with the Australian admitting he is only just getting warmed up as Dakar enters its second week. With Benavides and Ricky Brabec now his closest challengers, Sanders’ consistency continues to be his greatest weapon.
Skyler Howes backed up his steady rally with fifth on the stage, rebounding well after a tough marathon and some health struggles earlier in the event. Feeling refreshed after the rest day, Howes described stage seven as “full gas”, with only minor navigation hiccups interrupting an otherwise solid run. The result keeps him fifth overall, just over 33 minutes from the lead, and firmly in the mix for strong stage results as Dakar continues south.
Sixth on the stage was Michael Docherty, who once again underlined his dominance in Rally2. Although no longer scoring points due to earlier penalties, the South African continues to ride with aggression and confidence, chalking up yet another class-leading performance. With five Rally2 stage wins already to his name this year, Docherty’s pace against the RallyGP riders remains one of the stories of Dakar 2026.
For Tosha Schareina, seventh on the stage reflected a day of effort without full reward. Still managing the fallout from a ten-minute penalty earlier in the rally, the Spaniard pushed hard on a fast and dusty special, catching Brabec mid-stage and chasing bonus time. However, small navigation errors after refuelling and being reeled in by Sanders cost him valuable seconds. Schareina remains fourth overall but now sits more than 15 minutes from the lead, hoping a better start position on stage eight will help him claw time back.
Eighth place went to Ross Branch, who enjoyed one of the fastest stages of his Dakar career despite a small time penalty. The Botswanan relished the wide-open nature of the route, describing nearly 450 kilometres of flat-out riding as a lot of fun. Branch holds eighth overall and looks forward to the challenges ahead as the terrain continues to evolve.
Ninth on the day, Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo delivered another measured performance. While the Chilean admitted losing time to the front-runners on the first test of week two, he remained focused on the bigger picture, emphasising the importance of keeping both rider and bike intact. Cornejo sits sixth overall and remains well placed as the rally moves into its toughest stages.
Rounding out the top ten was Ricky Brabec, who faced the unenviable task of opening the stage just a day after his stage six victory. With riders behind able to capitalise on his tracks, Brabec was caught by both Schareina and Sanders, limiting his ability to collect bonus time. Ninth on the stage leaves the two-time Dakar winner second overall, 4’25” behind Sanders, but Brabec remains relaxed about the situation, confident that a deeper start position on stage eight could play into his hands.
Victorian rider David Brock has seen his 2026 Dakar Rally campaign come to an early end after persistent back pain forced him to stop mid-stage. The 55-year-old had been managing the injury since early in the event, but conditions on stage six proved too much, with Brock forced to withdraw at the 250-kilometre mark after initially finding a good rhythm. Failing to complete the stage eliminated him from the general classification, although Brock will continue riding the remaining stages under the Dakar Experience regulations, describing the setback as “disappointing to say the least” after the terrain rapidly deteriorated and his pain became unmanageable.
With the top three in the overall standings now separated by less than five minutes, Dakar 2026 is shaping into a tightly contested battle. While Sanders and Benavides enjoyed strong days, Brabec and Schareina will be looking to respond quickly as the rally heads into one of its biggest challenges.
Stage eight takes the field further into Wadi ad-Dawasir and will feature the longest special of the rally at 481 kilometres, alongside a 236-kilometre liaison. Fast plateaus, technical canyon crossings and constant changes in direction await, promising another decisive day as week two of Dakar moves into full swing.
| 2026 Dakar Rally – Stage 7 Results | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No | Rider | Nat | Team | Time | Gap | Penalty |
| 1st | 77 | Luciano Benavides | ARG | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 00′ 56” | – | – |
| 2nd | 73 | Edgar Canet | ESP | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 05′ 43” | + 00h 04′ 47” | – |
| 3rd | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | FRA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 05′ 53” | + 00h 04′ 57” | – |
| 4th | 1 | Daniel Sanders | AUS | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 04h 06′ 31” | + 00h 05′ 35” | – |
| 5th | 10 | Skyler Howes | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 07′ 42” | + 00h 06′ 46” | – |
| 6th | 14 | Michael Docherty | RSA | BAS World KTM Team | 04h 08′ 34” | + 00h 07′ 38” | – |
| 7th | 68 | Tosha Schareina | ESP | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 09′ 41” | + 00h 08′ 45” | – |
| 8th | 46 | Ross Branch | BOT | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 04h 09′ 43” | + 00h 08′ 47” | 00h 00′ 10” |
| 9th | 11 | Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo | CHI | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 04h 10′ 06” | + 00h 09′ 10” | – |
| 10th | 9 | Ricky Brabec | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 10′ 11” | + 00h 09′ 15” | – |
| 11th | 98 | Mason Klein | USA | HOTO Factory Racing | 04h 12′ 33” | + 00h 11′ 37” | – |
| 12th | 16 | Toni Mulec | SLO | BAS World KTM Team | 04h 13′ 24” | + 00h 12′ 28” | 00h 00′ 10” |
| 13th | 66 | Neels Theric | FRA | Kove Factory Racing | 04h 13′ 38” | + 00h 12′ 42” | – |
| 14th | 26 | Konrad Dabrowski | POL | Duust Rally Team | 04h 16′ 56” | + 00h 16′ 00” | – |
| 15th | 85 | Preston Campbell | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 18′ 59” | + 00h 18′ 03” | – |
| 16th | 84 | Martim Ventura | POR | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 04h 20′ 37” | + 00h 19′ 41” | – |
| 17th | 41 | Ruy Barbosa | CHI | HT Rally Raid | 04h 27′ 16” | + 00h 26′ 20” | – |
| 18th | 18 | Dusan Drdaj | CZE | Cajdasrot | 04h 28′ 04” | + 00h 27′ 08” | – |
| 19th | 44 | Josep Pedró | ESP | RallyBikes – Pedregà Team | 04h 28′ 57” | + 00h 28′ 01” | – |
| 20th | 27 | Milan Engel | CZE | Orion – Moto Racing Group | 04h 29′ 10” | + 00h 28′ 14” | – |
| 2026 Dakar Rally – Overall Standings After Stage 7 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | No. | Rider | Nation | Team | Total Time | Gap | Penalty |
| 1st | 1 | Daniel Sanders | AUS | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 28h 47′ 31” | – | 00h 06′ 00” |
| 2nd | 9 | Ricky Brabec | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 28h 51′ 56” | + 00h 04′ 25” | – |
| 3rd | 77 | Luciano Benavides | ARG | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | 28h 52′ 11” | + 00h 04′ 40” | – |
| 4th | 68 | Tosha Schareina | ESP | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 29h 02′ 37” | + 00h 15′ 06” | 00h 10′ 00” |
| 5th | 10 | Skyler Howes | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 29h 20′ 45” | + 00h 33′ 14” | 00h 02′ 00” |
| 6th | 11 | Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo | CHI | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 29h 20′ 56” | + 00h 33′ 25” | – |
| 7th | 42 | Adrien Van Beveren | FRA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 29h 43′ 28” | + 00h 55′ 57” | – |
| 8th | 46 | Ross Branch | BOT | Hero Motosports Team Rally | 30h 26′ 53” | + 01h 39′ 22” | 00h 06′ 10” |
| 9th | 85 | Preston Campbell | USA | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 30h 31′ 03” | + 01h 43′ 32” | – |
| 10th | 16 | Toni Mulec | SLO | BAS World KTM Team | 30h 42′ 10” | + 01h 54′ 39” | 00h 00′ 10” |
| 11th | 26 | Konrad Dabrowski | POL | Duust Rally Team | 30h 52′ 29” | + 02h 04′ 58” | – |
| 12th | 98 | Mason Klein | USA | HOTO Factory Racing | 31h 27′ 10” | + 02h 39′ 39” | 00h 02′ 00” |
| 13th | 7 | Bradley Cox | RSA | Sherco Rally Factory | 31h 56′ 22” | + 03h 08′ 51” | – |
| 14th | 41 | Ruy Barbosa | CHI | HT Rally Raid | 31h 59′ 21” | + 03h 11′ 50” | 00h 06′ 00” |
| 15th | 28 | Nerimantas Jucius | LTU | HT Rally Raid | 32h 00′ 04” | + 03h 12′ 33” | – |
| 16th | 57 | Khaliunbold Erdenebileg | MGL | BAS World KTM Team | 32h 00′ 50” | + 03h 13′ 19” | 00h 06′ 10” |
| 17th | 84 | Martim Ventura | POR | Monster Energy Honda HRC | 32h 11′ 43” | + 03h 24′ 12” | – |
| 18th | 35 | Bruno Santos | POR | BS – Frutas Patricia Pilar | 32h 37′ 03” | + 03h 49′ 32” | – |
| 19th | 78 | Arnau Lledó | ESP | Pedregà Team | 33h 06′ 23” | + 04h 18′ 52” | 00h 00′ 10” |
| 20th | 27 | Milan Engel | CZE | Orion – Moto Racing Group | 33h 16′ 57” | + 04h 29′ 26” | 00h 01′ 00” |
