Tosha Schareina, the undisputed prologue king of 2024, took the honours on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, setting the fastest time in the short but intense opener.
It was a brief but demanding day, with an 11km prologue against the clock at Jebel Hafit Desert Park, marking the start of the second round of the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship. Set against the dramatic backdrop of Jebel Hafit, Abu Dhabi’s highest peak, the park is a site of UNESCO significance, with archaeological discoveries offering insight into the region’s rich heritage.
For the first time, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge’s prologue was open to the public, allowing spectators to witness the world’s top rally-raid riders in action. Despite its short length, the stage was packed with challenges, as riders had to manage rocky terrain at high speed while ensuring minimal time loss.
Tosha Schareina, competing in his first Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, delivered a flawless performance securing his 12th World Rally-Raid Championship stage victory. His win also granted him the crucial advantage of selecting his starting position for Stage 1. The Spaniard acknowledged the difficulty of the terrain but was pleased with how he handled it.
“It was pretty good, but from the beginning, I realised the terrain wasn’t easy—it was slippery in some sections, and the navigation was tricky too,” Schareina explained. “I pushed from the start, focused on the navigation, rode smoothly, and got the win. Now, the focus shifts to the stages ahead because the real race starts tomorrow.”
Luciano Benavides put in a strong ride to finish second, missing out on the top spot by just 0.4 seconds.
Ricky Brabec was satisfied with his return to racing, putting in a calculated performance to secure third place, finishing 13 seconds behind Schareina. He emphasized the importance of building momentum ahead of the longer stages.
“The first day of competition in Abu Dhabi is done. It’s only the prologue, just 11km, but it feels good to get some race speed under our belts before the real action starts,” Brabec said. “Finishing third means we have a solid starting position for tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it—it’s going to be five tough days in the sandbox, but hopefully, we’ll have a strong result at the end.”
Ross Branch finished fourth, setting himself up with a solid start position for Stage 1.
“I’m really grateful and happy to be back on the bike. I’m not 100% there yet, after my crash at Dakar, but we’ll get there,” Branch explained. “The Prologue today was short and fast, and I’m happy for the good result. We’ll push as best as we can, with a goal to make it to the finish line well. A big thank you to the entire team, and looking forward to a good week here in Abu Dhabi.”
2025 Dakar winner Daniel Sanders admitted to struggling with the conditions despite clocking the fifth-fastest time. The Australian felt out of sync with his bike setup and the tricky terrain.
“I wasn’t feeling great today, and I had a sand setting on my bike, but the terrain was super rocky and hard-packed,” Sanders admitted. “With four roadbook notes per kilometre, it was difficult to find a rhythm. We finished P5, which isn’t bad, but I know there’s more to come.”
American Skyler Howes battled through the stage, focusing on staying on top of navigation and waypoints in the unforgiving terrain. He ultimately finished 19 seconds back in sixth.
Meanwhile, Nacho Cornejo put in a steady run to seventh place, gaining a significant confidence boost as he continues to recover from his Dakar crash and feeling more comfortable than in past prologues.
“The Prologue went well today. Prologues aren’t my strong suit, but I performed better than usual, so I’m happy!” Cornejo said. “I’ve been working on my weaknesses, and this is a good step forward. We have a solid position for tomorrow, and I’m ready for a long week of sand and dunes in the desert.”
Eighth-placed Adrien Van Beveren endured a frustrating day after missing a waypoint and having to turn around, losing 48 seconds overall. Although disappointed with his start, the 2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge winner remains determined to turn things around in the coming stages.
“Not the best prologue we could get,” Van Beveren lamented. “I missed one waypoint, and I discovered that at the next corner when my GPS showed I’d missed it. I decided to turn back and try to find it. I rode about a kilometer back, found the waypoint, and carried on again, but in such a short 11km stage, that mistake cost me a lot of time. This is not the start I wanted, and I’m quite frustrated, but we’ll look ahead and give our best from tomorrow.”
The first full stage will take the riders away from Al Ain, covering a total of 400km, with 243km of timed racing. The towering dunes of the Abu Dhabi desert will make their first appearance as the competitors journey inland toward Mzeerʻah.
2025 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Provisional Rankings – Prologue Stage
| Pos | Rider | Team | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Tosha Schareina | Monster Energy Honda Team | 6m 53s |
| 2. | Luciano Benavides | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | + 04s |
| 3. | Ricky Brabec | Monster Energy Honda Team | + 13s |
| 4. | Ross Branch | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 16s |
| 5. | Daniel Sanders | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | + 17s |
| 6. | Skyler Howes | Monster Energy Honda Team | + 19s |
| 7. | Nacho Cornejo | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 38s |
| 8. | Adrien Van Berveren | Monster Energy Honda Team | + 48s |
