Summarize

Australian Daniel Sanders took the Dakar 2025 Bike prologue from Botswana’s World Champion Ross Branch on his works Hero on Friday morning. Sanders’ most impressive factory KTM rookie Edgar Canet teammate was a surprise third on his Rally 2 machine, while the Southern African bikers all enjoyed a good first day. 

Honda quartet, Californian 2024 winner, Ricky Brabec, Spaniard Tosha Schareina, Chilean Pablo Quintanilla and Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren were next home ahead of South African surprise, Michael Docherty aboard his Rally 2 BAS World KTM. American Skyler Howes’ Honda and German rider Sebastian Bühler’s Hero closed off the top ten.

Friday’s Prologue may have been a quick jaunt around the dunes near the Bisha, Saudi Arabia Start Bivouac, but there was no holding back as the top ten bikes get to choose their all-important starting positions for Saturday’s first stage of real racing. So expect to see those ten riders starting more or less the reverse order, so as to avoid opening the road on Saturday.

Of the rest of the South Africans, 2024 World Rally 2 Champion, Bradley Cox impressed with a fine strategic ride to see him staring 12th on his BAS World KTM, while Aaron Mare should be satisfied with 19th on his HT Husqvarna. Rookie Dwain Barnard enjoyed a speedy run to 83rd on his Nomade Racing KTM, while Willem Avenant took it easy to bring his HT Husqvarna home 124th.

It was an early start for the 134 two-wheelers, which set off into the tricky 29 kilometre Prologue in reverse order of their seeding. The first machines were away at 7 am as Aussie rookie Toby Hendricks set the early pace on his R2 KTM as 113 Rally 2 and 21 Rally GP machines, including 25 no-service Original machines finally came under starters orders. Hendricks later slipped down as Canet took over up front. 

Docherty then slotted into a provisional second before the Rally GP big guns took to the stage, but Canet hung in until his GP teammate Aussie Daniel Sanders disposed him with just ten bikes still to come. Docherty remained third until he was mugged by the Honda gang and finally Branch, but Canet impressively hung on to third behind Branch as he and Docherty topped the R2 runners.

335 machines started the 47th Dakar, comprising 580 riders, drivers and co-drivers from 52 countries around the world. Friday’s 413 first full stage is a dirt, gravel and sand track loop around Bisha.