Brabec leads Honda 1-2 across Dakar Stage 6 on Sat...

2025 Dakar Rally

Stage 6 – HAIL > AL DUWADIMI

Saturday’s particular had the possibility to revive minds and our bodies however opponents have been straight again into it at dawn, and it was a day that broke some… Stage Six kicked off the second week of the Dakar Rally, with a demanding 829-kilometre route from the bivouac to Al Duwadimi.

Starting with an extended sector on quick plateaus, adopted by technical, rocky sections, the place Monster Vitality Honda HRC’s Ricky Brabec made his mark along with his profession eleventh stage win, teammate Adrien Van Beveren solely 23-seconds behind and Hero’s Jose Cornejo Florimo finishing the highest three, Daniel Sanders managing to retain a top-10 end result.

Heavy hitter Ross Department crashed out of the race at km 84, ending his 2025 Dakar efforts, and that was additionally the place Bradley Cox, 2024 W2RC champion in Rally 2, lastly threw within the towel after limping on following a crash proper after the beginning.

Dakar chief Sanders initially fell sufferer to some tough roadbook notes, straying from the route which price him time. Nevertheless, shortly getting again in control, the Australian posted the second-fastest time on the 96-kilometre mark. Shedding somewhat time within the second half of the 605 km particular, Sanders dropped to ninth for the day as he crossed the road. Nevertheless he retains his lead within the general standings with a bonus of practically 12 minutes, down from 15.

Daniel Sanders – P9

“I bought off to a little bit of a tough begin this morning as I bought misplaced close to the start of the particular. It’s at all times robust to attempt to get again right into a rhythm after the remainder day, however I’m pleased with my end result right now. It provides me a fantastic beginning place for tomorrow, so I’ll positively take advantage of that. It was cool having such selection within the stage from the actually rocky first half to the dunes. I’m feeling nice and excited for tomorrow.”

Reigning champion Ricky Brabec let his expertise do the speaking, claiming the stage win and transferring up two locations to fourth general. It was the second consecutive stage victory for Monster Vitality Honda HRC in Saudi Arabia after Van Beveren’s first place on Friday making it 112 stage victories for Honda since Christian Desnoyers kicked off their profitable methods again in 1979 on the unique Paris-Dakar.

The early a part of the stage noticed loads of chopping and altering on the high because the riders regarded to take the benefit heading into the switch part, however Ricky Brabec powered his manner by means of the ultimate section among the many dunes to take his eleventh Dakar Rally stage victory and his first of 2025. Though he stopped to help Ross Department, the American as he saved his nerve to maneuver nearer to the general podium as he now’s simply 23’18” off the lead.

Ricky Brabec – P1

“We’re not in first, so we’re not controlling the sport, however we’re simply attempting to do our greatest to make up time to higher our general place. I feel there’s different folks on the market taking part in video games and proper now we’re simply attempting to handle ourselves and do the very best we are able to. With regard to the day I’m pleased with my using and navigation. I’m additionally comfortable that Ross is OK, I noticed the place he crashed and pushed the rescue button. I noticed the helicopter was simply throughout the valley so I figured for me, it was higher to journey throughout to it for just a few kilometres and get the helicopter relatively than attempt to cellphone them. On the finish of the day he’s good which is the principle factor. We nonetheless have six days of racing with a whole lot of time to make up, so we’ll do our greatest and hopefully get some bonus time tomorrow.”

Following a steward’s choice yesterday to re-instate time to Adrien Van Beveren’s stage time from stage 5 the day earlier than, the Frenchman was declared the winner of that stage throughout the remainder day to additional enhance the morale of the squad as they went in to the second week of the rally right now.

It labored too as Adrien had his finest day up to now on this 2025 Dakar Rally as he opened your complete stage and led it from begin to end setting a blistering tempo throughout his favoured sandy tracks to rack up each single one of many 6’11” bonus time out there.

Though narrowly pipped to the highest spot right now by Brabec, he has chipped away at his time within the normal standings and gained an additional 5 minutes on the general lead of the rally whereas remaining third. Hero’s Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo simply 28-seconds behind the Honda rider for the stage.

Adrien Van Beveren – P2

“I’m very very comfortable about my day. I opened all day and you already know while you begin first and also you arrive nonetheless main, it was a tricky day of navigation. We had sand and dunes on the finish as properly, so usually you are inclined to lose a whole lot of time when it’s important to open that, however I’m actually happy with what I’ve finished right now and looking out ahead to tomorrow and the subsequent few days. I’m feeling actually good on the bike however there are nonetheless a whole lot of kilometres to take action we’ll hold centered.”

Second general heading into the remainder day, Tosha Schareina piled on the strain and saved his head down all through the 605 km course to reach on the end line simply 2’27” behind Brabec. Though he continues to carry his second overalll, the hole to the chief Sanders has been minimize to 11’46” so he’ll look to the spend the approaching days pushing laborious to scale back that point even additional.

Tosha Schareina – P4

“It was a tough day once more with the 2 elements of the stage. The primary half was extra about navigation and the second was tremendous quick with sandy sections and dunes. It was loopy on the market with a whole lot of native automobiles. I knew that we have been reducing all the way down to Daniel and the blokes in entrance, so I attempted to push, but in addition needed to reach safely right here on the bivouac so I’m prepared for tomorrow’s stage.”

Luciano Benavides rounded out the day’s high 5, and put his head down and pushed laborious proper from the beginning, sustaining a constant tempo over the difficult and assorted terrain. The end result moved the KTM 450 Rally rider up one place within the general standings to sixth, simply over half-hour down on teammate and rally chief Sanders.

Luciano Benavides – P5

“That was fairly good, I made a small mistake this morning and Nacho [Jose Ignacio Cornejo] handed me, so we then rode collectively for many of the particular. I pushed laborious and managed to catch the chief by the top. The primary half was tough, and I needed to be tremendous cautious to remain on the bike. After the remainder day, it’s nice to get again into it, and I’m wanting ahead to the remainder of the week.”

Sixth place noticed the highest performing Sherco of the day within the palms of Lorenzo Santolino, with seventh place the highest KOVE rider within the type of Mason Klein, adopted by eighth-placed Skyler Howes who bought by means of the primary a part of the stage with a small navigation error and suffered some bike arrange points within the dunes in what was a irritating stage for the American rider.

Skyler Howes  – P8

“It was a difficult day, I’ve mentioned that most likely each single day to be completely sincere. The morning truly began out superb, the primary part was going properly though I made a little bit of a small navigation mistake. I used to be making my manner again and gained somewhat little bit of time again, however within the dunes I had some bike setup points and so I misplaced a bit extra time and didn’t actually nail that second half. It was a bit irritating because it was a brilliant lengthy day on the market, however I’m comfortable to be again within the bivouac to relaxation and equipment up for an additional day tomorrow.”

Behind Sanders, and finishing the highest ten on a day was Pablo Quintanilla, the place simply 5’46” separated him from the stage win. Amongst the entrance runners early on, Quintanilla was caught out by many spectators’ automobiles within the dune part and within the ensuing confusion he misplaced a few minutes whereas he bought himself again on monitor.

Pablo Quintanilla – P10

“We had many hours on the bike but it surely was good. The day was in two elements, the primary half was a quick laborious packed piste with some riverbeds and tough navigation between the canyons, then we had an enormous neutralisation, nearly 200km. The second half was sandy with some dunes and really quick. Actually, I felt good, I loved the day. Once we bought to the dunes there have been lots of people and automobiles and it bought me confused and I ended up within the incorrect valley which misplaced me some minutes to search out the correct manner. With out that I feel my using was good so I’m comfortable for that.”

Pushing laborious over the rocky terrain of the primary half of right now’s particular, Rally2 challenger Edgar Canet had a small crash which pressured him to take a couple of minutes to recuperate. The younger Spaniard regrouped and in the end secured fourth place within the Rally2 class and seventeenth general. Canet maintains his class lead with a 17-minute margin and retains his place throughout the high 10 general standings.

Edgar Canet – P17

“At the moment was an extended day on the bike, and it was robust! I had a small crash 45 kilometres into the particular, so I needed to cease for a couple of minutes. I managed to get again into a great rhythm although and I’m pleased with my efficiency. Now we have six phases forward of us nonetheless so let’s see how they go!”

Aussie Toby Hederics completed the day in twenty eighth, 26m16s off main tempo and now sits twenty second within the general standings, simply over three hours off main tempo.

Fellow Aussie Andrew Houlihan completed the day in 97th, and now sits 93rd within the standings.

Isle of Man TT highway race star James Hillier continues to compete regardless of his earlier crash, and completed 73rd for the stage, now sitting 98th within the general standings.

Withdrawal of Sam Sunderland and Toby Worth

“After a tricky battle, the group made the tough choice to exit the race. On Stage 5, Sam suffered a concussion, which worsened right now following a brand new affect. So as to defend the co-driver’s well being, the crew has determined to withdraw from the race.”

Subsequent – Stage Seven

Tomorrow’s stage seven has been amended and the riders will now begin with a 188 km highway part to get them to the brand new begin line earlier than they’ll deal with 411 km in opposition to the clock as they head up into the mountains on a loop from Al Duwadimi.

2025 Dakar Rally Stage Six Outcomes

2025 Dakar Rally Standings after Stage Six

2025 Dakar Rally Route/Schedule