Benavides Scores Back-to-Back Wins As Al Rajhi Takes Overall Lead In Dakar Stage 9

The grueling 357-kilometer timed special of Stage 9 saw competitors navigate the complex tracks and high-speed sections between Riyadh and Haradh, demanding unwavering focus and exceptional navigational skills. Luciano Benavides showcased his mastery of both, securing his second consecutive stage victory and solidifying his fourth-place position in the overall standings. Meanwhile, Yazeed Al Rajhi capitalized on Henk Lategan’s misfortunes to seize the overall lead in the car category, setting the stage for an intense battle in the Empty Quarter.

Benavides Shines with Solo Performance

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides delivered a standout performance on Stage 9, opening the entire special and maintaining his lead from start to finish. The Argentinian’s near-flawless navigation earned him a well-deserved victory, finishing almost two minutes ahead of his closest rival, Adrien Van Beveren. With his second consecutive stage win, Benavides is on track for his best-ever Dakar finish.

“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,” said Benavides. “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.”

Sanders Maintains Overall Lead Despite Navigational Challenges

Despite leading much of the stage, Daniel Sanders finished third after encountering navigational difficulties in the closing kilometers. Nevertheless, the Australian maintains a commanding overall lead of nearly 15 minutes heading into the final stages of the rally.

“It was a good start, but after the first neutralization section, we came into somewhere that I remembered from other years,” explained Sanders. “The dirt was really white, so I couldn’t see the tracks properly. I was just trying to make sure I was on the right spots.”

Al Rajhi Takes Command as Lategan Falters

In the car category, Nasser Al-Attiyah claimed his first stage win of the 2025 Dakar Rally, propelling his Dacia Sandrider to within striking distance of the overall podium. However, it was Yazeed Al Rajhi who emerged as the new overall leader, benefiting from Henk Lategan’s navigational mistakes and punctures. The Saudi driver now holds a 7-minute lead over his South African teammate, with Mattias Ekström trailing by 24 minutes and 50 seconds in third.

Canet Dominates Rally2, Zille Victorious in Challenger

Dakar rookie Edgar Canet continued to impress in the Rally2 category, earning his fourth class win and extending his lead to an impressive one hour and 40 minutes. In the Challenger class, Argentinean David Zille claimed his first stage victory of the 2025 edition, while Nicolas Cavigliasso maintained his 28-minute lead over Gonçalo Guerreiro in the overall standings.

‘Chaleco’ Lopez Closes Gap in SSV, Loprais Triumphs in Trucks

Chilean veteran Francisco ‘Chaleco’ López secured his fourth stage win in the SSV category, reducing the gap to second-placed Xavier de Soultrait to just 20 minutes. However, American Brock Heger remains in a commanding position, leading the overall classification by 2 hours and 7 minutes.

In the truck category, Ales Loprais celebrated his 23rd Dakar stage win on his 23rd birthday, narrowly edging out Mitchel van den Brink. Martin Macik continues to lead the overall standings by a comfortable 2 hours and 23 minutes.

Looking Ahead to the Empty Quarter

As the Dakar Rally heads into the Empty Quarter for Stage 10, competitors will face the daunting challenge of navigating massive sand dunes reaching up to 250 meters in height. With the leaderboard tightly contested across all categories, the final stages promise to be a thrilling spectacle as the battle for supremacy unfolds in the unforgiving desert landscape.

Selected Overall Standings After Stage 9

Bike:

  1. Daniel Sanders (AUS) – 47:45.34
  2. Tosha Schareina (ESP) – +14.45
  3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA) – +20.21
  4. Luciano Benavides (ARG) – +27.44

Ultimate:

  1. Yazeed Al Rajhi (SAU) – 45:06.54
  2. Henk Lategan (ZAF) – +7.09
  3. Mattias Ekström (SWE) – +24.50
  4. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) – +25.21

Challenger:

  1. Nicolas Cavigliasso (ARG) – 49:38.09
  2. Gonçalo Guerreiro (POR) – +27.58
  3. Paul Spierings (NLD) – +1:03.55

SSV:

  1. Brock Heger (USA) – 51:13.20
  2. Xavier de Soultrait (FRA) – +1:49.53
  3. Francisco López (CHL) – +2:07.38
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Jarrod Partridge

Founder of Motorsport Reports, Ayrton's dad, Bali United fan, retired sports photographer. I live in Bali and drink much more Vanilla Coke than a grown man should.

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