Stage 11 of the Dakar Rally in the bike category delivered everything expected in the final phase of this edition. A lightning-fast special towards Al Henakiyah, minimal gaps at the finish line, tactical moves in the fight for the overall standings, and more shifts in Rally2. Skyler Howes took the stage win in Rally GP, while Luciano Benavides regained the overall lead thanks to Ricky Brabec’s strategic decision-making. In Rally2, the results were nearly unbelievable, with just one second separating Toni Mulec and Martim Ventura.
Howes wins, Van Beveren second, Canet on the podium
Skyler Howes has secured his first Dakar stage win. The American was the fastest after the 346-kilometer special, narrowly beating Adrien Van Beveren. Edgar Canet completed the podium at 1 minute and 15 seconds behind. This win adds Howes to the list of American stage winners in Dakar history, a milestone moment for the Honda rider.
Ricky Brabec was in a strong position to take the stage win but deliberately dropped his pace in the final stretch. His decision was clearly aimed at setting up a better start position for tomorrow and putting direct pressure on his main rival in the standings.
Tactics decide the standings: Benavides takes the lead by 23 Seconds
The battle for the overall victory remains wide open. Brabec started the day with a 56-second lead over Luciano Benavides and even appeared to extend that margin during the stage. But by intentionally giving up time in the final kilometers, the situation flipped. Benavides ends the day as the new leader in the overall standings, holding a 23-second advantage over Brabec.
Daniel Sanders also played a role, though his focus was survival. Still recovering from a crash the day before, the Australian lost about ten minutes to Howes but managed to limit the damage. Sanders remains fourth overall, squeezed between Tosha Schareina and Howes. A key detail: Howes has now closed the gap to within 10 minutes and 48 seconds of Sanders, keeping the podium battle very much alive.
Mulec wins by one second and takes Rally2 Lead
Rally2 delivered pure madness. Toni Mulec claimed his first Dakar stage win in the class, but did so with the narrowest possible margin: just one second ahead of Martim Ventura. As if that weren’t dramatic enough, Michael Docherty finished third, only five seconds behind Mulec. A sprint finish after 346 kilometers of racing, rarely is it this close in rally raid.
This result makes Mulec the third different leader in the Rally2 standings. After Michael Docherty led early and Preston Campbell held the top spot from stage 4 through stage 10, the Slovenian now takes over. Mulec leads Campbell by 2 minutes and 27 seconds. Ventura moves into third in the overall standings. He trails Mulec by 1 hour and 41 minutes but maintains a margin of roughly 20 minutes over Konrad Dabrowski in fourth.
Neels Theric forced to retire again
It was a rough day for Neels Theric. The Frenchman was running strong and held second place in Rally2 at the previous checkpoint, but had to stop after 274 kilometers due to yet another engine issue. He called for assistance and is out of the special, a major blow in a phase where every minute counts.
Ian Olthof: From frustration to focus and enjoyment
For Dutchman Ian Olthof, this part of the rally is all about combining pace and experience while avoiding damage. His reflection says a lot about what Dakar does to a rookie. Olthof shared that stage 10 was particularly tough for him in the dunes, with several crashes and a lower result, while stage 9 had felt great until a minor navigation mistake cost him dearly.
“Well, yesterday was a tough day for me. Turns out I’m not really a dunes guy, lots of falls and a poor result. Stage 9 was great, I was running 37th all day and thought I had it. Until I missed a waypoint by 2 meters, didn’t even know that was possible.” He immediately shifts focus to the bigger picture: “The good news is we’re getting closer to the finish. From now on, I’m counting down and just aiming to keep the bike in one piece and cross that line.” He draws extra motivation from his family, who just arrived: “The family landed in Saudi last night, that brings new energy.” And perhaps the essence of his Dakar: “You live from day to day, from one hundred kilometers to the next. Otherwise it’s overwhelming and you’ll lose your mind. Right now, I’m in 40th overall. I wouldn’t have dared dream of that beforehand.”
All or nothing heading into the final stages
With Benavides and Brabec separated by just 23 seconds, the overall Rally GP standings are wide open. The battle behind them is just as fierce, with Sanders managing his position and Howes closing in. In Rally2, the fight is now fully ignited. Mulec leads, but his 2-minute-and-27-second gap to Campbell offers no security. The next few days will determine who can combine speed, strategy, and above all, consistency.
Stage 11 Results
1. Skyler Howes – 03:09:02
2. Adrien Van Beveren +00:00:21
3. Edgar Canet +00:01:15
41. Ian Olthof +00:50:35
