Dakar 2025: Sanders Extends Lead as 48-Hour Chrono Stage Crowns Baciuška and Reshuffles Leaderboard

The grueling 48-hour Chrono Stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally came to a dramatic conclusion on Monday, with the 1,000km loop starting and ending in Bisha testing competitors to their limits. As the dust settled, the leaderboard saw significant changes, with some contenders thriving while others faced setbacks

Sanders Dominates Bike Category

In the bike category, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders put in a commanding performance to win the 48-hour Chrono Stage and extend his overall lead to 12 minutes and 36 seconds over American Skyler Howes. Sanders, who started seventh, caught up with the riders ahead of him and gained time bonuses for nearly 150 kilometers.

“It got pretty tough in the soft dunes, especially when I was up front opening the way and putting the first line in. Managing the dust was also a huge part of it, so we were all fighting up front for the opening bonuses, but it’s cool to be riding alongside the others. My body feels great, though, and it’s nice to have a bit of a shorter day today to recover. I’m really happy with my performance so far and we’ll see what happens tomorrow when I have to open the stage!” said Sanders.

Sanders’ teammates Luciano Benavides and Kevin Benavides finished sixth and 27th, respectively, while Rally2 rider Edgar Canet impressed with a 10th place finish overall, taking the class lead.

Baciuška’s Unexpected Triumph

In the car category, Lithuanian Rokas Baciuška emerged as the surprise winner of the 48-hour Chrono Stage, claiming his first-ever stage victory in the Ultimate class at just 25 years old. Despite losing a rear wheel in the first stage, Baciuška bounced back to confirm a major trend at the 47th Dakar: the rise of young talent.

Al-Attiyah and Loeb Battle Back

Five-time Dakar champion Nasser Al-Attiyah put in a strong performance to move up to third overall in his Dacia Sandrider, just 11 minutes and 14 seconds behind leader Henk Lategan. Al-Attiyah’s teammate Sébastien Loeb also battled back from overheating issues to finish less than 20 minutes off the lead.

“We had a puncture for the last 50km and also an issue with the power-steering. It was tough to get through this stage with all the dust,” said Al-Attiyah.

Sainz’s Title Defense Ends

Defending champion Carlos Sainz’s bid for a fifth Dakar title came to a premature end after rolling his Ford Raptor on day one of the Chrono Stage. Despite continuing with a heavily damaged car, Sainz trailed the leader by 1 hour and 35 minutes at the finish. Following an inspection by his M-Sport team, it was determined that the car was no longer safe to compete.

Polaris Dominates SSV Class

In the SSV category, Polaris continued to assert their dominance, with Brock Heger winning the stage to add to his prologue success. Heger and teammate Xavier de Soultrait now occupy the top two positions overall, with De Soultrait leading by over an hour.

Truck Category Heats Up

The truck category saw a trio of contenders emerge on the 48-hour Chrono Stage, with Martin Macík, Aleš Loprais, and Vaidotas Žala finishing in that order. They now hold a significant advantage over fourth-placed Mitchel van den Brink, who trails by 1 hour and 16 minutes.

As the 2025 Dakar Rally moves on from Bisha, the leaderboard has been significantly reshaped by the 48-hour Chrono Stage. While some favorites faltered, others seized the opportunity to assert their dominance and stake their claim for victory. With plenty of racing still to come, the 47th edition of the world’s toughest rally-raid promises to be as unpredictable as ever.