Sanders retains lead despite navigation problems o...

2025 Dakar Rally

Stage 3 – BISHA > AL HENAKIYAH

The Dakar Rally left Bisha for Stage Three on Tuesday morning, heading northwest in the direction of Al Henakiyah for a shortened 327 km timed particular. This part noticed riders descend greater than 500 metres in altitude throughout rocky tracks which ultimately gave option to sandy plateaus for about 200 kilometres. Sherco’s Lorenzo Santolino took full benefit to assert his first Dakar stage win.

Lorenzo Santolino – P1

“Right now’s stage was fairly technical, with a number of stones and rocks from the very starting as much as kilometre 100. I pushed exhausting, taking it to the restrict, whereas staying extraordinarily targeted on navigation. I managed to catch as much as the chief, who began 5 minutes forward of me, within the quick part. We rode collectively, and I used to be capable of keep the lead. Profitable a stage is solely unimaginable—actually exhausting to imagine. The stage alternated between very quick zones and extra technical sections with demanding navigation over the ultimate 150 kilometres. Regardless of the dangers I took, it was completely value it. I’m extraordinarily pleased and wish to thank Sherco, all my sponsors, and particularly my household for his or her fixed assist. My mom at all times believes in me, even once I battle with sure passages. Now, onto the following problem!”

The Spanish rider completed the stage four-minutes away from the trailing Honda duo and now holds tenth total within the standings.

In contract, Dakar chief Daniel Sanders had a difficult day with navigation points, together with navigation pill issues, which was him end the stage in a lowly seventeenth however the Australian managed to carry on to his outright lead.

Opening stage three was by no means going to be simple for the Pink Bull KTM Manufacturing unit Racing rider, significantly with the timed particular that includes tough navigation and tough terrain. The difficulty along with his digital roadbook mid-way via the particular proved expensive for Chucky, inflicting him to lose invaluable time to his rivals as he struggled to navigate. He was awarded a while again after the stage to assert that seventeenth place end nonetheless, and he’ll begin mid-pack tomorrow, which ought to result in a extra forgiving stage 4.

Daniel Sanders – P17

“I felt actually good on the bike at present and my navigation this morning was spot on via among the actually tough components. Sadly, I had a difficulty with my roadbook pill after the refuelling cease so I actually struggled to navigate. I used to be misplaced for some time as I had no manner of understanding the route, and I made a decision to observe a rider who then additionally received misplaced which price me much more time. The nice factor is I’m nonetheless main the general, so all I can do now’s clean up, recuperate and prepare to assert a while again tomorrow.”

The Monster Power Honda HRC American duo of Ricky Brabec and Skyler Howes remained focussed all through the day’s Dakar stage as they overcame the punishing terrain to place themselves on the day’s podium with Santolino, as they trimmed the general time deficit to Sanders.

Double Dakar champion Brabec clawed again a large six-minutes on Sanders placing the American simply 9’15” off of the lead of the rally.

Ricky Brabec  – P2

“I’m proud of my using, the workforce and bike. The 48 Hour Chrono sort of jacked me up a little bit bit on time however it’s solely day three of the rally so there are many days left of racing and we’ll preserve pushing to the tip. I’m having enjoyable and actually having fun with the place we’re going and the bike’s working rather well. Tomorrow is a giant process forward, it’s the marathon as nicely after which not longer after it’ll be the remainder day.”

Skyler Howes was the primary Monster Power Honda HRC rider out of the blocks for the day and though he was one of many lead-out riders, which could be a tough process as there are not any tracks to observe, the 32-year-old American excelled on the second a part of the stage and along with his 2’48” in bonuses serving to to complete simply behind Brabec.

Paying homage to his greatest Dakar efficiency in 2023 when he led for six days, Howes has put in a stellar experience thus far and Tuesday’s consequence sees him shut to only 6’51″ off the lead (second total) within the basic standings because the battle begins to essentially scorching up.

Skyler Howes – P3

“That first hundred kilometres was gnarly – tremendous, tremendous rocky, like, simply 100% rocks. It’s tough to navigate via that stuff so you need to take it simple. I had one problem in a kind of building zone once I received caught between some big boulders and misplaced a little bit little bit of time there. Simply after that, the navigation received fairly tough; fairly easy however it rained out right here and so all of the tracks had been washed away, so the navigation received actually tough earlier than we received into these sandier tracks with rocks and the navigation received much more tough then. I ended up discovering the correct manner and hitting all the best way factors and I feel the opposite guys ended up getting misplaced a little bit bit. It seems like a very constructive stage for me. I’m actually proud of my navigation. Despite the fact that I didn’t do an ideal job, I nonetheless did an excellent job, so I’m fairly proud of my efficiency at present. My physique feels good and I’m excited to make it via this. Now, the marathon stage begins tomorrow.”

Hero’s Ross Department remained constant in fourth, 4m14s off main tempo, and holds down third place within the total in consequence.

Luciano Benavides capitalised on his advantageous begin place because the sixth rider to set off, securing a formidable fifth-place consequence, simply forward of Stefan Svitko – additionally KTM mounted.

Luciano Benavides – P5

“The beginning of the stage at present was tremendous rocky, however I actually targeted and made positive I didn’t make any errors or lose any time. The navigation was additionally fairly tough within the second half of the particular, so I did my greatest and I’m proud of at present’s consequence. I really feel actually good, and I’m proud of how the Dakar goes thus far for me.”

Pablo Quintanilla tapped over a decade of Dakar huge expertise to remain within the reckoning with a stable experience to seventh, the quicker off-piste sections offering him with loads of alternative to open the throttle and catch as much as the leaders.

Pablo Quintanilla – P7

“The stage was fairly exhausting because the terrain at present was tremendous tough and there have been lots of rocks to start with. The primary 120km was very rocky and the sections had been fairly technical. After that we had extra open desert for a couple of kilometres, however had been then confronted once more with a sandy part stuffed with rocks. It was tough to experience at present and I used up lots of vitality attempting to maintain an excellent tempo. It’s not my favorite terrain for using however I feel I did fairly good. I gave my 100% at present.”

Stage three additionally proved to be a powerful one for Edgar Canet, with the 19-year-old displaying spectacular tempo on the demanding path to Al Henakiyah. Canet skillfully navigated his manner via the particular to safe his first stage win within the Rally2 class of the 2025 Dakar thus far, additionally securing an excellent eighth-place total consequence, forward of Martin Michek and Tobias Ebster. Edgar efficiently retained the category lead after three levels with a bonus of over 5 minutes.

Edgar Canet – P8

“I’m pleased to have completed this stage, it was robust with the rocks and a few fairly tough navigation, however I didn’t crash or get misplaced, in order that was a hit. It will have been simple to make a mistake and lose lots of time at present so I’m glad to have prevented that. I’m actually wanting ahead to tomorrow’s marathon stage now!”

It was a tough morning for Adrien Van Beveren within the opening part of the stage when he was following Schareina, the rocky part catching him off guard and throwing him over the handlebars. Unharmed, he remounted his Honda CRF450 RALLY solely to move within the mistaken route, solely conscious of this when he got here throughout Ross Department who had been following in his wheel tracks.

Adrien Van Beveren – P11

“Tosha made a mistake after 4 kilometres and he was beginning in entrance of me. He was getting again on monitor once I caught up with him. I knew he was going to go on all-out assault and that he could be fast within the rocks, so I attempted to experience at his tempo. I rode behind him at an affordable distance, however I didn’t wish to let him out of my sight. I hit a rock and my bike all of a sudden slid left after which proper earlier than I used to be thrown over the handlebars. I don’t know if I misplaced consciousness or not, I don’t keep in mind a lot about it, however I’m not feeling too unhealthy. I used to be a bit shaken, however the airbag labored nicely, so I used to be capable of set off right away, however within the mistaken route. I adopted the tracks on the bottom, however as a result of I used to be going the mistaken manner, I got here nose to nose with Ross (Department). That’s once I realised I used to be going the mistaken manner. Afterwards, the navigation was difficult and I’d misplaced my entrance brake. I finished to attempt to restore it with a nut, however then it began working and braking all by itself. I rode sensibly afterwards. I went via all kinds of feelings: I assumed I used to be going to lose every little thing with that crash.”

Simply two kilometres into stage three, the dusty and rocky situations caught out Tosha Schareina and he was left on the lookout for the correct route. As soon as again on monitor he received on the gasoline to meet up with the lead-out rider, Sanders and Howes, however then struggled within the later a part of the stage with one other slight navigational error. He completed within the prime 20 however importantly has managed to remain within the prime 5 total.

Tosha Schareina – P18

“The primary 100 kilometres was tremendous rocky and I received misplaced within the first two kilometres, I made a mistake because of the mud and I attempted to push after that. I did it as I caught Skyler and Daniel who had been using collectively after which after the refuelling I rode with them and tried to push once more to open the stage. 40 kilometres earlier than the end line I made a giant mistake and we had been misplaced once more. The riders behind caught us up and after that we rode collectively.”

Aussie Toby Hederics had one other sturdy stage, ending twenty second, simply 14m40s off main tempo and now sits twenty sixth total within the standings.

Andrew Houlihan additionally placing in a powerful effort to complete 78th, trailing the chief by 1h49m and holding 109th within the standings.

Toby Worth and team-mate Sam Sunderland had a constant stage within the Final class of four-wheelers, ending in 18th, trailing the lead by simply over 16-minutes, and dropped from fourth to sixth within the total Final Automotive standings in consequence.

Toby Worth

“Round 15km into the stage we had excessive temperatures within the automobile and needed to handle that by holding our prime velocity to 130km/h. Really feel like we misplaced lots of time due to it, however I’m glad we might a minimum of handle the state of affairs given how a lot carnage is on the market!”

Ex MotoGP star Danilo Petrucci is competing within the Vehicles class and had a greater stage to complete throughout the top-10 and now trails the main truckies by 32m22s, leaving the trio twelfth heading into Stage 4.

Isle of Man TT highway race star James Hillier crashed earlier within the occasion however made a return to competitors, ending the stage in 87th, simply shy of two-hours off main tempo.

Subsequent – Stage 4

It’s a quick cease at Al Henakiyah for riders this night, tomorrow’s marathon stage 4 will see the riders head in the direction of AlUla which has been a cease on the Dakar Rally 4 earlier occasions since 2020.

The huge canyons within the space shall be part of the 415 km particular stage earlier than they arrive on the bivouac end line, the place the riders can have simply an hour and half to work on their bikes earlier than the bikes are sealed off into Parc Ferme.

2025 Dakar Rally Stage Three Outcomes

2025 Dakar Rally Standings after Stage Three

2025 Dakar Rally Route/Schedule