Luciano Benavides has claimed victory in Stage 8 of the Dakar Rally in the bikes category, securing both the stage win and, for the first time in his career, the overall lead in the general classification. The Argentine rider from the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team set a relentless pace from start to finish and made the most of his role as the day’s opener. With a maximum bonus of 7 minutes and 28 seconds added to his time, he turned a deficit of 4 minutes and 40 seconds to Daniel Sanders into a lead of 10 seconds by the end of the stage.
Sanders finished second, 4 minutes and 50 seconds behind Benavides, while Ricky Brabec brought his Honda home in third, trailing by 5 minutes and 2 seconds. This meant the stage podium mirrored the current top three in the overall standings, with one key difference: Benavides is now in front. Tosha Schareina followed in fourth at 9 minutes and 47 seconds, Adrien Van Beveren was fifth at 11 minutes and 56 seconds, and Skyler Howes placed sixth, 12 minutes and 32 seconds down. After today, the general classification has become much clearer: Schareina now trails the new leader by around twenty minutes, while Howes and Cornejo have swapped positions in the battle for fifth place.
Bonuses make the difference
Stage 8 once again highlighted the challenge of opening the stage in Saudi Arabia and the significant impact of time bonuses. Benavides delivered a controlled and near-flawless performance at the front, keeping his pursuers far enough at bay to convert the bonus into real advantage. Sanders managed to close the gap but saw his lead in the standings disappear just before the finish. Brabec remained in close pursuit of the two KTM riders and now sits 4 minutes and 47 seconds behind the leader, leaving the title fight wide open with five stages to go.
Third win for Theric, major setback for Docherty
In Rally2, Neels Theric took his third stage win of this Dakar, putting Kove back in the spotlight. The Frenchman edged out Martim Ventura by just 15 seconds, with Toni Mulec finishing 2 minutes behind. The biggest news of the day came from Michael Docherty. The BAS World KTM rider looked set to win the stage but crashed after 414 kilometers and dropped out of the battle for the day’s victory.
Mulec closes in on Campbell
In the overall Rally2 standings, Preston Campbell remains in the lead, but his advantage is shrinking. After losing more time, his gap to Toni Mulec is down to 9 minutes and 36 seconds. Konrad Dabrowski firmly holds third place but is further back from the top two. Given Mulec’s recent pace, the final week of Rally2 is shaping up to be tense: Campbell needs to consolidate, while Mulec is clearly on the attack.
Standings after stage 8
In RallyGP, Luciano Benavides now leads, with Daniel Sanders 10 seconds behind and Ricky Brabec trailing by 4 minutes and 47 seconds. They are followed by Schareina, Van Beveren, and Howes, with the time gaps increasing significantly from fourth place onward.
