34
Edgar Canet, fresh off his Rally2 championship last season, continued his impressive form with a dominant performance in his debut at the top level. The KTM rider secured victory in Stage 1 and extended his lead in the overall standings.
Ross Branch set the fastest time in the 305 km special, but a 6-minute penalty for speeding ultimately cost him the stage win.
The stage podium mirrored yesterday’s results, though with a greater separation in times. Canet finished 1’02” ahead of his Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate, Daniel Sanders, and 1’32” clear of Monster Energy Honda HRC rider Ricky Brabec.
In the Rally2 class, Michael Docherty claimed his eleventh win in the category aboard his KTM, finishing 1’28” ahead of rookie Martim Ventura on a Honda, who led for much of the stage but couldn’t hold on for the victory in the final stretch.
The 2026 Dakar Rally commenced today with Stage 1 around Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, testing competitors across a 305km special. Following yesterday’s prologue, riders and drivers faced the first full competitive stage of the event, with edgar Canet of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing emerging as the early leader [[1]]. The grueling multi-terrain race,a test of endurance and navigation,continues to draw international attention as some of motorsports’ top athletes strive for victory [[3]].
<p class="article__raceInfos">
Dakar 2026 |
Stage 1 |
YANBU
> YANBU
<br/><span class="article__raceInfos__published">
January 4
<sup>
th
</sup>
2026
- 12:45
[GMT + 3]
</span>
</p>
<ul> </a>
<figcaption class="figure__caption js-modal-caption ">73 CANET Edgar (esp), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, KTM, Rally GP, FIM W2RC, action during the Prologue of the Dakar 2026, on January 3, 2026 around Yanbu, Saudi Arabia</figcaption>
</figure>
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