Summarize

Twenty-time winners in Dakar’s 46-year history, and with an incredible eighteen of those on the trot. Austria’s orange KTMs once again seem to have it all under control among the bikes in Saudi Arabia. 2025 winner, Aussie Daniel Sanders took control of the race with victory on Tuesday’s 400 kilometre Day 2. Sanders relieved rookie teammate Edgar Canet of the overall lead as KTM remains unbeaten so far this year with Sanders and Canet also 1-2 overall.

Honda riders, Ricky Brabec, Tosha Schareina, Skyer Howes and Martim Ventura followed the KTMs home as Ventura significantly claimed Honda’s first ever Dakar Rally 2 victory. South Africans, Rally 2 leader Michael Docherty, Ross Branch and Bradly Cox also all enjoyed positive days in the saddle.

The more spectacular the Dakar scenery, the tougher it seems the going gets. And Tuesday did not disappoint. Starting with rocky tracks across the Hedjaz Mountains before fast and sandy broad plains, the day closed with Dakar 2026’s first few small dunes into Al-Ula. Californian Brabec opened the day quickest to the first checkpoint on his Honda Factory CRF450 ahead of World Champion Sanders’ Factory KTM 450 Rally. 

The Rally 2 top three, Factory Rally 2 Honda duo US rider Preston Campbell and Portuguese rookie Ventura followed each side of South African Rally 2 leader Michael Docherty’s BAS KTM, Motswana Tork Craft rider, Ross Branch’s Hero Moto 450 and Durban Sherco Factory Rally ace Bradley Cox.

Sanders then moved ahead of Brabec, Spanish Honda teammate Tosha Scharena, Ventura and Docherty overall, as Branch and Cox lost time towards mid-distance. Then Schareina and Brabec’s Hondas took turns to lead as Branch fought back. Sanders however kept the best for last and aided by four and a half minutes of road opening bonus, he led Spanish KTM teammate Edgar Canet, with even more opening assistance, home ahead of Honda trio Brabec, Schareina and Utah rider Skyer Howes.

Ventura pipped Docherty to Honda’s first ever Rally 2 victory in sixth overall* with Ross Branch slipping back a few minutes once again to end seventh between them for the day. Argentine Luciano Benavides’ KTM and Frenchman Adrien van Beveren’s Honda closed off the top ten ahead of Chilean Hero Moto rider Ignacio Cornejo, Slovak KTM privateer Stefan Svitko and Brad Cox. Uruguayan Emanuel Gyenes was once again well ahead in the no-service Original class on his KTM.

Sanders thereby moves into a 30 second overall Dakar 2026 lead over KTM teammate Canet. He is the first previous year winner to lead since 2021. Honda men Brabec and Schareina sit third and fourth, with Branch up to fifth from Benavides. Ninth overall, Docherty Leads Rally 2 by all of 19 seconds, with Cox a steady 13th. 

Dakar Day 3 comprises a 422 kilometre loop around Al-Ula on Tuesday. Find the Dakar Day 2 Car report here. Your Dakar Bike Report is powered by Tork Craft tools. 

* Ventura suffered a penalty to drop behind Branch, and significantly, Michael Docherty, who picked up the Rally 2 win and thus remains unbeaten in class with a hat trick of wins.