The 2026 Dakar Rally has kicked off for the motorbikes with a short but significant prologue around Yanbu. On a special stage of just over 22 kilometers, it was all about sharpness, timing, and positioning ahead of the first real stage. Edgar Canet wasted no time showing he is ready for his RallyGP debut and set the fastest time of the day.
Canet straight to the top in RallyGP
The Spanish KTM rider quickly took control in the RallyGP class. After Štefan Svitko initially laid down the benchmark, Canet slashed the time with a run of 11 minutes and 31 seconds. It was enough to hold off the established names. Daniel Sanders came within two seconds, Ricky Brabec was five seconds behind, Luciano Benavides eleven, and Ross Branch sixteen.
The performance speaks volumes. Canet is moving up to the premier class this year after winning Rally2 on his Dakar debut and immediately shows why he is considered one of the brightest talents of the moment. His showing is already one of the defining storylines of this edition.
Pressure on Sanders and Honda
Pre-race favorite Daniel Sanders and the Honda riders had little choice but to attack. They needed to finish near the front to secure a favorable starting position, without ending up having to open the route in stage one. Sanders delivered a strong time and finished second, while Tosha Schareina also impressed with a solid seventh place. The Spaniard, coming in with confidence after winning the Rallye du Maroc, confirmed his status as a consistent top-tier rider.
Ross Branch had a solid start with the fifth-fastest time. After a disappointing Dakar last year, the 2024 world rally raid champion looks to have returned with renewed focus. Štefan Svitko also showed the value of experience. In his seventeenth Dakar, the Slovak stayed close to the top, aiming once again for a high finish as a privateer.
Docherty dominates Rally2, trouble for Theric
In the Rally2 class, Michael Docherty was in a league of his own. The South African was the only rider in the category to break the 12-minute mark and won the prologue by 26 seconds over Tobias Ebster and Konrad Dabrowski. It was a repeat of his 2023 performance in Yanbu. His victory also marks the first Dutch success of the rally, as Docherty rides for the Netherlands-based BAS World KTM Team.
Preston Campbell and Ruy Barbosa followed, while Emanuel Gyenes was fastest in the Original by Motul category. Things went less smoothly for Neels Theric. The French Kove rider suffered technical issues and lost significant time on the short stage, a heavy blow for one of the Rally2 podium contenders.
Dutch participation
For the Netherlands, Ian Olthof was the only rider to take on the prologue. He rode a measured stage and clocked a time of 14 minutes and 34 seconds. That earned him 56th place, providing a steady foundation for the start of his Dakar campaign.
A technical and selective opener
The prologue lived up to its reputation as technical and varied. Narrow canyons, tricky surfaces, and multiple trial-like sections made precision more important than outright speed. Mistakes were punished quickly despite the short distance.
The day started with a 41-kilometer liaison from the bivouac in Yanbu, followed by the special and a final 33-kilometer link section. A total of 115 bikes are entered this year, including 15 in RallyGP and 100 in Rally2, with 26 in the Original by Motul category.
With Canet’s victory, the tone has been set. The gaps are small, the stakes are high, and the real Dakar starts now.
Prologue results
1. Edgar Canet 00:11:31
2. Daniel Sanders +00:00:02
3. Ricky Brabec +00:00:05
56. Ian Olthof +00:03:02
