Stage five of the Dakar Rally 2026 for the trucks, the second and decisive part of the marathon stage towards Ha’il, once again shook up the standings. After a long and technical special, Martin Macík came out on top once more. The Czech title holder secured his second consecutive stage win and doubled his lead in the overall classification.
Tense stage with changing leaders
The stage started with plenty of action and remained unpredictable for most of the day. Richard de Groot set the early pace and led at both the 100 and 166 kilometer marks. Mitchel van den Brink and Macík stayed close behind, with Ales Loprais also in contention throughout.
Midway through the special, Van den Brink took the lead and looked to be heading for the stage victory. He controlled the pace up to the 271-kilometer checkpoint, keeping Macík at bay. However, in the final part of the special, the Dutchman had to ease off due to issues with the cabin suspension. That gave Macík the opportunity to strike in the closing kilometers and secure the win.
Kay Huzink takes full advantage
Behind Macík, the surprise of the day was Kay Huzink. The young Dutchman ran a smart marathon stage, stayed out of trouble, and moved up to second place towards the end. He managed to hold off Van den Brink, who had to settle for third. For Huzink, it marked an impressive result in his debut year, claiming the second-fastest time at the highest level of Dakar competition.
Van den Brink realistic despite disappointment
Mitchel van den Brink was visibly frustrated at missing out on the stage win, but remained pragmatic. Despite the technical issues, he lost limited time and stayed well within reach in the standings. His gap to Macík is now 9 minutes and 29 seconds. With many kilometers still to go, the fight for overall victory is wide open.
Retirements and other results
There was disappointment for Gert Huzink, who had to retire after just 19 kilometers due to a mechanical failure, bringing an early end to his strong marathon effort.
Loprais finished fourth, followed by Vaidotas Zala in fifth. The second Eurol Rally Sport truck, driven by Martin van den Brink with Peter Willemsen and Richard Mouw, delivered a consistent performance and crossed the line in seventh. The experienced Dutchman now sits ninth in the overall classification.
Standings after the marathon
With back-to-back stage wins, Macík has solidified his lead. Van den Brink trails by just under ten minutes, while Loprais and Zala are further back. The marathon stage proved to be a real test, but it has not yet decided the title race.
Preview of stage six
Friday brings stage six from Ha’il to Riyadh. With a 331-kilometer special and a total of 589 kilometers including the liaison, it promises to be a tough but spectacular day. The route is packed with dunes and looks set to favor the true sand specialists. After reaching Riyadh, the rest day awaits — a chance to regroup, assess the situation, and prepare the trucks for the second week of this Dakar.
