Stage nine of the Dakar Rally 2026 for the bikes revolved around the first part of the marathon refuge stage. The focus was on self-reliance, increased pressure on navigation, and staying out of trouble. From Wadi ad Dawasir, the riders faced a 418-kilometer special toward a minimalist bivouac in the desert, without service teams. In exactly those conditions, the standings shifted once again.
Schareina wins after smart decisions
Tosha Schareina was the rider of the day. Early in the stage he made the difference by choosing the correct canyon at a crucial navigation point, while several rivals lost time by making the wrong call. From there, the Spaniard kept the pace high and pulled away decisively in the final section. Schareina wins Stage nine and secures his third stage victory of this Dakar.
Behind him, a tense battle unfolded between the three main protagonists of recent days. Daniel Sanders eventually finished second at 4 minutes and 35 seconds. Ricky Brabec followed shortly after. On paper it looks like a regular top three, but the real damage was in the time gaps and in what happened along the route.
Sanders capitalizes and reclaims the Lead
Although Sanders did not win the stage, he was one of the big winners of the day. Early confusion, which also cost Luciano Benavides valuable time, allowed Sanders to reclaim the overall lead. After Stage nine, the Australian now holds a lead of 6 minutes and 24 seconds over Brabec. Benavides drops to third at 7 minutes and 05 seconds, while Schareina remains fourth at 15 minutes and 28 seconds.
That margin for Sanders sounds comfortable, but it is anything but. Especially with the second part of the marathon refuge stage coming up, where Brabec will start three minutes behind Sanders, and the route may once again feature treacherous dunes and demanding navigation.
Schareina won the stage convincingly today. Sanders finished second at 4 minutes and 35 seconds. Third place went to Michael Docherty at 4 minutes and 50 seconds, a remarkable result as the Rally2 rider finished among the RallyGP front runners. Brabec crossed the line fourth at 6 minutes and 22 seconds. Skyler Howes took fifth at 7 minutes and 54 seconds, followed by Adrien Van Beveren at 10 minutes and 10 seconds.
Docherty wins Rally2 among the RallyGP riders
In Rally2, the stage win went to Michael Docherty. The South African claimed his sixth class victory of this Dakar, finishing six minutes ahead of Neels Theric. As if that were not enough, Docherty also placed third overall on the day among the RallyGP riders. It is so far the best overall stage result by a Rally2 rider in this edition.
In the Rally2 general classification, Preston Campbell remains in the lead ahead of Toni Mulec. The battle for third place is still pending until all riders have finished, but expectations are that Ruy Barbosa will move into third position.
Everything on the line heading into final part of the Marathon Stage
After a day where navigation set the tone and the standings shifted once more, all focus now turns to tomorrow. No mechanics, no extensive service and every mistake twice as costly. Sanders starts as the leader, but with Brabec close behind and directly on his route, the fight is far from over.
