Red Bull KTM Factory Racing have successfully completed a challenging stage 10 of the 2026 Dakar Rally. Luciano Benavides fought hard to claim an excellent third-place result. Daniel Sanders unfortunately suffered a crash, which has left him injured, but he was able to bring his KTM 450 RALLY home in 16th place. Edgar Canet’s progress was interrupted after stopping to assist several riders involved in crashes, and he ultimately placed 10th.
Stage 10 of the 2026 Dakar Rally completed the second half of the marathon stage as riders left the remote refuge bivouac and headed toward Bisha. The demanding day featured a long 368-kilometer timed special, opening with vast expanses of soft dunes before transitioning into faster sand tracks later in the stage.
In what proved to be a tough day for the Red Bull KTM team, it was Benavides who came out on top. Setting off ninth into the special, the Argentine immediately made the best use of his start position to push hard and make up time on his rivals. Holding the lead up to kilometer 123, Benavides’ hard work was nearly undone when he got stuck in the soft sand of one of the dunes. After losing around four minutes, he was able to get back into the action and again try to make up time on those ahead. Luciano now lies in second overall, just 56 seconds behind the leader, with three stages left to contest.
Luciano Benavides: “It was a really intense day out there. I made a mistake after the refueling and got stuck in a dune, which cost me a few minutes, and for a moment I honestly thought my Dakar might be over. Thankfully a couple of riders stopped to help me get going again, so I’m very grateful to them. Despite that setback, I felt good on the bike and was able to keep pushing, and overall, the feeling wasn’t bad. It was a day with a lot happening, especially in the dunes, and you could see how tough it was for everyone. Now the focus is on regrouping, getting some rest after a demanding marathon stage, and resetting for tomorrow. My approach remains the same: push every day, give my maximum, and keep fighting until the end.”
A master of dune riding, Sanders was able to catch the leading rider on today’s special by kilometer 123 and began to accumulate bonus time. Unfortunately, a large jump off a dune resulted in the Australian crashing heavily from his KTM 450 RALLY. Completing the stage 16th fastest, after returning to the team and undergoing medical checks, Daniel was passed fit to continue with the event. His condition will be assessed on a daily basis.
Daniel Sanders: “Unfortunately I’ve picked up some injuries, so it was a very tough day. The hardest part was riding through the dunes and knowing the race situation was changing, but the main focus now is to keep going, manage the pain, and finish the Dakar. It’s obviously disappointing after being in such a strong position, but we’re not quitters and I’m proud that I was able to push through and reach the finish today. There’s a lot of pain and it’s not easy to ride like this, but my mindset is to stay positive, take it day by day, and keep fighting to the end.”
Canet showed impressive pace on today’s stage, but the RallyGP rookie’s day was interrupted by stopping to assist several riders involved in crashes during the timed special. After the lost time was reallocated to him, Edgar’s final result was 10th for the stage. The young Spaniard will continue tomorrow on stage 11, building his knowledge and confidence in the toughest rally-raid of the year.
Edgar Canet: “It was a tough day. I started the stage feeling good in the dunes, but very early on I stopped to help a rider who had crashed, until the helicopter arrived and I could continue. Later in the stage I came across another rider with a very serious crash and stopped again to assist until the doctors and helicopter were on site. Those moments cost a lot of time, but that’s part of racing and the most important thing is helping when someone needs it. The marathon stage taught us a lot, both technically and mentally, and while it’s never easy to see this side of the race, I’m confident things will improve in the coming days.”
Thursday’s stage 11 will see riders leave Bisha and head to Al Henakiyah. Totaling 883 kilometers, the stage features a long liaison of 537 kilometers and 346 kilometers of timed special, which promises to test the riders’ navigation skills to the maximum.
Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “Unfortunately, Daniel had a heavy crash after jumping a large dune and landing hard, but despite that he managed to reach the finish, which deserves a lot of respect. He is receiving excellent care from our medical team, and it has now been confirmed that he will restart the rally tomorrow. It was certainly not an easy day, but he showed real toughness out there and we’ll continue to support him fully as the race goes on. On the positive side, Luciano delivered a strong ride to finish third on the stage today and lies second overall in the standings, which is a great result for the team as we head into the final stages of the rally.”
Provisional Results – 2026 Dakar Rally, Stage 10
- Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 4:15:43
- Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 4:19:32 +3:49
- Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 4:19:47 +4:04
- Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 4:20:34 +4:51
- Ignacio Cornejo (CHI), Hero, 4:22:17 +6:34
Other KTM
- Michael Docherty (RSA), KTM, 4:25:14 +9:31
- Toni Mulec (SLO), KTM, 4:26:07 +10:24
- Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 4:34:19 +18:36
- Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 4:43:33 +27:50
Provisional Standings – 2026 Dakar Rally (after 10 of 13 stages)
- Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 41:35:13
- Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 41:36:09 +0:56
- Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 41:50:56 +15:43
- Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 41:52:50 +17:37
- Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 42:14:06 +38:53
Other KTM
- Toni Mulec (SLO), KTM, 44:06:51 +2:31:38
- Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 53:24:34 +12:20:30
