The 2026 Dakar Rally for the truck category reached its conclusion on the shores of the Red Sea. In the short final stage around Yanbu, Vaidotas Zala secured his overall victory. The Lithuanian did not need to take any risks and carefully brought his De Rooy FPT Iveco to the finish line. With the sixth fastest time in the special, that was more than enough to maintain his lead in the standings and clinch his very first Dakar win. It not only marked the end of Martin Macik’s title streak but also the first-ever Lithuanian victory in the truck category.
First Dakar stage win for Kay Huzink
The top Dutch result of the day came from Kay Huzink. In his very first Dakar, together with Rob Buursen and Gert Schoneveld, he claimed victory in the final stage. After a strong start, the pace increased toward the coast, pushing the truck to its limits. With a gap of just over one minute, Huzink held off Mitchel van den Brink and captured his first Dakar stage win.
“An unreal feeling to experience this in our first Dakar year! THIS WIN IS FOR DAD!” said an emotional Kay. In the overall standings, Huzink narrowly missed out on sixth place, but the final stage win gave his debut a special sparkle.
Van den Brink pushed one last time
At the front of the stage, Mitchel van den Brink gave it one last push to show why he had been one of the standout drivers of this Dakar. The Dutchman went on full attack from the start, especially dominating in the technical valleys. He led for much of the stage but ultimately finished second, just over a minute behind Huzink. A tire tread issue in the final kilometers forced him to slow down slightly, but his podium position was never in jeopardy. He wrapped up the rally in third place overall.
Tight battle for the stage podium
Behind Huzink and Van den Brink, the fight for the stage podium remained close until the end. Ales Loprais delivered a solid performance and secured third place in the stage. That was enough to confirm his second place in the overall classification. Martin Soltys and Martin Macik followed closely behind to round out the top five of the day. For Zala, it was all about managing the risk and avoiding mistakes. He crossed the finish line in sixth and was immediately congratulated as the 2026 Dakar winner.
Dutch teams reach Yanbu
All other Dutch teams also made it to the finish in Yanbu without major issues. Martin van den Brink drove a measured final stage and secured eighth place both on the day and in the general classification. The Firemen Rally Team with Richard de Groot also reached the end, finishing just outside the top ten for the stage. Behind them were Marnix Leeuw and Egbert Wingens, who had to deal with a challenging end to the rally.
For De Groot Sport, the final day left a bitter aftertaste. The team had planned to finish the rally with two crew members, but during an administrative check, the FIA discovered that mechanic Govert, who had stepped in as navigator, did not hold the required truck driving license. According to the rules, this license is mandatory to continue with a two-person crew, so the team was not allowed to start the final stage. In the end, De Groot Sport was still allowed to cross the finish podium and receive their Dakar medal.
Finish at the Red Sea
With the final checkpoint at the Red Sea, this edition of the Dakar Rally came to a close. For the trucks, it was a rally defined by speed, mechanical challenges and strategic decisions. Zala proved to be the most consistent contender and fully earned his overall victory. The foundation for the future has been laid. All eyes now turn forward, because when it comes to Dakar, the next adventure is never far away.
Results etappe 13
1. Kay Huzink 00:54:41
2. Mitchel van den Brink +00:01:14
3. Ales Loprais +00:01:27
8. Martin van den Brink +00:03:00
10. Gert Huzink +00:04:26
11. Richard de Groot +00:06:32
12. Marnix Leeuw +00:07:46
13. Egbert Wingens +00:11:03
24. Ad Hofmans
Results Dakar Rally 2026
1. Vaidotas Žala 56:58:38
2. Ales Loprais +00:20:18
3. Mitchel van den Brink +00:29:03
5. Richard de Groot +05:13:08
7. Kay Huzink +06:18:56
8. Martin van den Brink +07:42:07
10. Marnix Leeuw +73:53:15
12. Ben de Groot +80:20:39
13. Egbert Wingens +83:39:33
21. Gert Huzink +139:40:22
