14.01.2025

LUCIANO BENAVIDES FASTEST ON DAKAR STAGE NINE

Dakar Rally 2025 – Stage 9

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing - 2025 Dakar Rally

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has claimed his second consecutive stage win of the 2025 Dakar Rally, completing stage nine with a near-two-minute advantage. The Argentinian lies fourth overall in the provisional standings. Daniel Sanders led much of the stage but finished third after a navigation error in the closing kilometers. He maintains his overall rally lead by close to 15 minutes. Bringing his KTM 450 RALLY home in an excellent eighth place overall, Dakar rookie Edgar Canet also dominated the Rally2 category, earning his fourth class win and extending his Rally2 lead to one hour and 40 minutes.

It was another tough day in the desert for all riders as they completed the ninth stage of this epic 47th running of the Dakar Rally. The route took competitors from Riyadh to Haradh, featuring a 357-kilometer timed special and an additional 232 kilometers of liaison.

Luciano Benavides delivered an impressive performance on stage nine, opening the entire special with the minimum of errors. Earning nearly five minutes in bonus time, Luciano finished almost two minutes ahead of his closest competitor to secure his second consecutive stage win. Luciano’s result solidifies his fourth-place position in the overall standings, putting the KTM 450 RALLY rider on course for the best Dakar Rally finish of his career.

Luciano Benavides: “Today was really good! I opened the stage all day, and although I did make some small navigation mistakes, I think most people did today. I had to pay close attention to the roadbook notes and really keep my focus during the stage, but I’m really happy because I did a good job opening. I’m looking forward to the dunes tomorrow as they’re my favorite terrain to race on.”

Daniel Sanders showcased his signature speed on stage nine, setting the fastest time at the first checkpoint and maintaining his lead until past the halfway mark. However, the complex navigation after the first refueling point led to a few small errors that proved costly for Sanders in the tightly contested special. Despite this, Daniel secured an impressive third-place finish, positioning him well for tomorrow’s stage in the demanding dunes of the Empty Quarter. With an overall lead of nearly 15 minutes, the Australian remains in a strong position heading into the final stages of the rally.

Daniel Sanders: “I had a really good start, then after the first refueling point I struggled to see any tracks and the navigation was tough, so I got lost a few times. I lost a bit of time there, which is disappointing but I’m ready to rest and do it all again tomorrow. You have to be really smart about how you ride the Dakar, so winning the first stages really helped mentally as it boosted my confidence. I feel good now and ready to keep it going in the last few days.”

Fired up by his strong stage eight results and immediately getting to work, Edgar Canet posted the second-fastest time overall, and fastest in Rally2, at the 37-kilometer mark. The Spaniard maintained his class lead from start to finish and claimed a commendable eighth-place result overall. Solidifying his dominance in the Rally2 category, Edgar now leads by an impressive one hour and 40 minutes in the class standings, and lies comfortably in eighth overall.

Edgar Canet: “That was a good stage for me! The first 300 kilometers were super-fast, then the last 50 were pretty technical with tricky navigation and difficult points where I got lost for a bit. I’m staying focused for stage 10 tomorrow and I’m really excited to get into the dunes of the Empty Quarter. My goal has always been to finish, so I’m focusing on that and not too worried about the classification.”

Provisional Results – 2025 Dakar Rally, Stage 9

1. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 3:15:38

2. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 3:17:32 +1:54

3. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 3:18:42 +3:04

4. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 3:19:17 +3:39

5. Skyler Howes (USA), Honda, 3:20:18 +4:40

Other KTM

8. Edgar Canet (ESP), KTM, 3:26:16 +10:38

Provisional Standings – 2025 Dakar Rally (after 9 of 12 stages)

1. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 47:45:34

2. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 48:00:19 +14:45

3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 48:05:55 +20:21