2025 Dakar Rally
Stage 5 – ALULA > HAIL
Crimson Bull KTM Manufacturing facility Racing’s Luciano Benavides received the ultimate day of week one on the 2025 Dakar Rally.
Daniel Sanders maintained a narrowed however nonetheless vital total lead within the standings, the Australian ending Thursday and heading into the remainder day seven-minutes away from Tosha Schareina and nearly 18-minutes away from third-placed Ross Department.
Following his victory yesterday, Daniel Sanders was tasked with opening stage 5 and the 30-year-old tackled the 428-kilometre particular with a transparent concentrate on gaining time and delivering one other strong efficiency. Dealing with difficult navigation with complicated roadbook notes and hidden waypoints, Sanders constantly recorded top-10 instances at every checkpoint.

Whereas he earned practically six minutes in bonus time, an eight-minute penalty for dashing dropped him to twelfth place. Regardless of this setback, and extra issues along with his digital highway e-book, Chucky retains a seven-minute total lead within the rally and is well-positioned for Saturday’s stage six, the place his sturdy beginning place presents a superb alternative to chase down the riders forward.
Daniel Sanders – P12
“I had lots of enjoyable in the present day, the stage was nice and I actually targeted on my using whereas I used to be opening. I had one other situation with my roadbook pill sadly at across the 400-kilometre mark, so I needed to keep behind the fellows main so I didn’t get misplaced. I’m feeling actually good after this primary week, my expertise has actually helped me this 12 months and it’s all coming lots simpler to me now. I can’t look ahead to the remainder of the rally!”

Because the twelfth rider to start out from the marathon bivouac in AlUla, Luciano Benavides shortly started working chasing down his rivals, posting the quickest time on the 87-kilometre mark. Luciano was then locked in a intently fought battle for the lead, initially crossing the road in Ha’il as second-fastest. A subsequent two-minute penalty awarded to Adrien Van Beveren meant that Benavides was promoted to first place, marking his first stage win of the 2025 Dakar, and seventh total.
Luciano Benavides – P1
“That was a very good day for me, ranging from 14th helped as I used to be capable of catch lots of the riders in entrance of me however I may nonetheless see some tracks. I really feel good on the bike and I’m proud of my using, so we’re at place earlier than the remainder day. Technique will play a giant half subsequent week as you need to choose which phases would be the finest to attempt to make up time on, and which of them to take it regular on. I really feel like I’m nonetheless within the battle, there’s a protracted method to go to the end and I’m in a very good rhythm now so I can wait to see what the subsequent week will convey.”

Adrien Van Beveren tailored nicely to the circumstances and the sophisticated navigation to be up amongst the lead out riders earlier than dashing off into the space to rack up some vital bonus time.
Adrien Van Beveren – P2
“I really feel good, I’m actually completely happy about what I’ve achieved yesterday and in the present day. The start of the Dakar has been actually robust. I attempted my finest each time to simply accept the conditions and I actually like to offer my finest, so I feel the extent I may give on the monitor was good. I hope this can repay on the finish.”

Nacho Cornejo completed the week with two consecutive stage finishes on the rostrum. The official Hero rider nonetheless within the race in ninth total 43’40’’ behind the chief, with teammate Ross Department ending the day fourth and holding third within the total standings.
Nacho Cornejo – P3
“It was a protracted stage with plenty of navigation but additionally some rocks in locations. I used to be third to set off and after refuelling, there have been 4 of us with Daniel Sanders, Tosha Schareina and Adrien Van Beveren. From that time, it was nearly like a motocross race, with every rider overtaking the opposite, looking for the proper monitor… it was enjoyable. I’m completely happy that everyone took it in turns with the navigation; a number of years in the past, that type of factor didn’t occur.”

After shedding a piece of time yesterday, Ricky Brabec rode a composed trip to the end line at Ha’il, which noticed him fifth, simply three and a half minutes off the perfect time of the day, slicing practically ten minutes off his total time deficit because the rally heads in direction of the end at Shubaytah.
Ricky Brabec – P5
“It’s the best way the rally goes for us, however all is sweet. I’m right here, I’m wholesome, I’m proud of my navigating and using however I do know the outcomes most likely don’t present how I really feel. Issues aren’t figuring out in my favour so it’s been robust and mentally exhausting. Now we’re at relaxation day in Ha’il, we’ll push on for the perfect consequence we are able to get at subsequent week’s end.”

Skyler Howes was an additional 1’10” again from Brabec in sixth place because the American made a slight error as he relied on the tracks already made within the sand, one thing that’s simple to do on the velocity coated by manufacturing unit riders in rally-raid. Venturing off on a flawed flip right into a canyon consequently misplaced him round six minutes however after the refuelling cease he managed to salvage treasured time again to maintain himself within the high 5 total.
Skyler Howes – P6
“In the present day was irritating for me, I began up to now again that I began counting on the tracks in entrance of me for navigation, which isn’t actually a wise factor to do. However whenever you’re within the again like that and since we misplaced lots of time yesterday, I used to be pushing tremendous arduous to catch again up a while in the present day. Round 150 kilometres I acquired to an space the place all of the tracks sort of disappeared and I used to be behind the highway e-book sufficient that I went down the flawed canyon and needed to circle again. I most likely misplaced about six minutes simply in that one little spot. I did fairly good after the refuelling, I knew the navigation was going to be tough once more and there have been a number of areas that I needed to sort of wander just a little bit to seek out the nice manner, however I didn’t have to show round or something.”

Tosha Schareina set off in second behind Sanders, struggling within the early a part of the stage as a navigational error threw him off the perfect course however he dug deep and regained his composure to meet up with the main riders on the right route and rode as a part of a gaggle to the end at Ha’il, for a seventh place end.
Tosha Schareina – P7
“In the present day was the second a part of the marathon stage, it was fairly good. At first I made a navigation mistake and after that Nacho Cornjeo and Adrien caught me. We had been using collectively once more like in earlier days and after that we caught Daniel Sanders. There was 400km of tough navigation, once more some rocky elements and 100km of tremendous sandy sections, nevertheless it was fairly good. I didn’t lose an excessive amount of time with the opposite riders, so now it’s time to cease and revel in the remainder day earlier than we’re able to battle once more.”

Decided to spherical out week one of many 2025 Dakar on a excessive, Edgar Canet instantly set about catching his closest Rally2 competitor, Michael Docherty. The pair fought arduous, exchanging the category lead for almost all of the 428-kilometre timed particular, however in the end it was Canet who got here out on high.
Claiming his second stage win within the Rally2 class, Edgar retains the general class lead by a cushty 16 minutes. The younger Spaniard has additionally moved into tenth place within the total standings, a powerful feat on his debut Dakar Rally marketing campaign.
Edgar Canet – P8
“That was a pleasant lengthy stage with totally different terrains like sandy pistes and plenty of rocks, and I didn’t make any huge errors which I’m proud of. A number of the navigation factors had been fairly troublesome, however I’m actually completely happy basically with my rhythm and the way this stage went. It feels superb to be main Rally2 after this primary week, and I’m excited for the remainder day tomorrow to get well! This week has been tremendous lengthy with lots of hours on the bike, however I’ve feeling for the remainder of the race. After all the goal is to win Rally2, particularly after my efficiency this week, so I’ll preserve pushing arduous!”
Stafen Svitko and Michael Docherty rounded out the top-10 for the stage, adopted by Pablo Quintanilla, Sanders, Lorenzo Santolino, Jacob Argubright and Konrad Badcrowski.
Australia’s Toby Hederics completed the day twenty fourth, 24m40s off main tempo, and 2h37m off the general lead in twenty third.
Fellow Aussie Andrew Houlihan completed the day in sixty fourth, simply shy of two-hours off the stage successful tempo and now sits 96th total, 17-hours in arrears.
With riders now safely on the Ha’il bivouac, tomorrow’s relaxation day will see all of them regroup and put together for the second week of racing throughout Saudi Arabia and the ultimate stretch to the end line at Shubaytah.
Two time motorbike winner of the Dakar, Toby Value, is discovering the particularities of the Final Automobile class, alongside Sam Sunderland, particularly take care of the automobile’s tyres. After an eleventh positioned end on stage 5, the Australian and his English co-pilot are twenty sixth within the provisional normal classification.
Toby Value
“We had a a lot better day in the present day, however yesterday killed us. It’s what it’s, sadly it didn’t work this time spherical. I’m simply disillusioned as a result of I let everybody down who’s on the facet of the automobile who made all this attainable. We’ll simply attempt to get good stage outcomes now and take it from there. It hurts for the second, however we’re wanting ahead to the remainder day tomorrow. In the present day’s stage was not too dangerous. We acquired via it, we misplaced a while however we had been a good distance again. We’re simply in administration mode for the time being. We didn’t actually have sufficient tyres after yesterday’s stage, so we simply tried to get via and preserve it protected. We’re wanting ahead to the remainder day tomorrow and the remainder of subsequent week. Hopefully we are able to do nicely on some phases and see what we are able to do.

“On the 48 HR Chrono stage I did 940 kilometres on all the identical tyres and didn’t get one single flat after which within the area of about thirty kilometres I acquired 4 flat tyres, I couldn’t work out why. The final one I acquired was in a 30 km/h velocity zone, I feel I dropped right into a riverbed and sliced my final tyre. It’s tremendous irritating, a bummer for the primary week. However apart from that, we’ll regroup and prepare for the second week. I really feel 100% safer within the automobile, after we’re going via these stones, I’m tremendous glad I’m in a automobile. However there’s so many shifting elements in these items, however whenever you’re rolling round on what’s mainly a bag of air, you’re placing your life on the road with a tyre. You’ll be able to spend triple the quantity, you possibly can spend ten million {dollars} however then you definately get 4 flat tyres and your day is completed. It’s what it’s. I simply guess I’m bummed out for the sponsors which might be on-board with it. We’ll attempt to see if we are able to get a few good stage outcomes to maintain them completely happy. It’s been a troublesome first week, however we’ll preserve at it.”
2025 Dakar Rally Stage 5 Outcomes
Pos | Rider | Nat | Bike | Time |
1 | LUCIANO BENAVIDES | ARG | KTM | 4h53’00” |
2 | ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN | FRA | HONDA | +0’47” |
3 | JOSE CORNEJO | CHL | HERO | +1’31” |
4 | ROSS BRANCH | BWA | HERO | +3’20” |
5 | RICKY BRABEC | USA | HONDA | +3’30” |
6 | SKYLER HOWES | USA | HONDA | +4’40” |
7 | TOSHA SCHAREINA | ESP | HONDA | +5’18” |
8 | EDGAR CANET | ESP | KTM | +7’17” |
9 | STEFAN SVITKO | SVK | KTM | +9’57” |
10 | MICHAEL DOCHERTY | ZAF | KTM | +10’20” |
11 | PABLO QUINTANILLA | CHL | HONDA | +11’17” |
12 | DANIEL SANDERS | AUS | KTM | +11’42” |
13 | LORENZO SANTOLINO | ESP | SHERCO | +15’27” |
14 | JACOB ARGUBRIGHT | USA | HONDA | +16’39” |
15 | KONRAD DABROWSKI | POL | KTM | +17’24” |
16 | BRADLEY COX | ZAF | KTM | +17’31” |
17 | ROMAIN DUMONTIER | FRA | HONDA | +17’38” |
18 | TOBIAS EBSTER | AUT | KTM | +20’32” |
19 | DANIEL NOSIGLIA JAGER | BOL | RIEJU | +22’38” |
20 | PAOLO LUCCI | ITA | HONDA | +22’39” |
2025 Dakar Rally Standings after Stage 5
Pos | Rider | Time |
1 | DANIEL SANDERS | 30h20’15” |
2 | TOSHA SCHAREINA | 07’02” |
3 | ROSS BRANCH | 17’48” |
4 | ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN | 18’31” |
5 | SKYLER HOWES | 19’59” |
6 | RICKY BRABEC | 21’01” |
7 | LUCIANO BENAVIDES | 24’15” |
8 | PABLO QUINTANILLA | 32’49” |
9 | JOSE CORNEJO | 41’31” |
10 | EDGAR CANET | 1h01’44” |
11 | LORENZO SANTOLINO | 1h03’24” |
12 | BRADLEY COX | 1h07’46” |
13 | TOBIAS EBSTER | 1h18’23” |
14 | STEFAN SVITKO | 1h18’40” |
15 | MICHAEL DOCHERTY | 1h32’51” |
16 | ROMAIN DUMONTIER | 1h51’31” |
17 | JACOB ARGUBRIGHT | 1h53’18” |
18 | NEELS THERIC | 1h55’03” |
19 | RUI GONÇALVES | 1h58’07” |
20 | DUSAN DRDAJ | 2h22’00” |
2025 Dakar Rally Route/Schedule
2025 Dakar Rally Route/Schedule2025 Dakar Rally Route/Schedule | ||||
Stae | Date | Begin/End | Whole | Particular |
Relaxation | Jan 10 | Hail | – | – |
S6 | Jan 11 | Hail > Al Duwadimi | 828km | 604km |
S7 | Jan 12 | Al Duwadimi > Al Duwadimi | 742km | 478km |
S8 | Jan 13 | Al Duwadimi > Riyadh | 737km | 487km |
S9 | Jan 14 | Riyadh > Haradh | 589km | 357km |
S10 | Jan 15 | Haradh > Shubaytah | 640km | 120km |
S11 | Jan 16 | Shubaytah > Shubaytah | 507km | 275km |
S12 | Jan 17 | Shubaytah > Shubaytah | 131km | 61km |

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