The American achieved his second victory in three days by taking advantage of the penalty inflicted on his teammate Nani Roma. The leader of the general classification does not change: Lategan leads. In the two-wheeler category, partial victory goes to Benavides
Ford hat-trick in the fifth stage of the Dakar 2026. The Marathon, i.e. the portion held without technical assistance, sees Mitch Guthrie triumph. The American won the 372 timed km with a time of 3h54’46” and signed his second partial victory in three days. The Ford driver takes advantage of the 1’10” penalty imposed on his teammate Nani Roma: the Spaniard, twice king in the most famous Raid Rally, had achieved the best time, but the penalty drops him to second place with a delay of 1’06”. Third was the Czech Martin Prokop at 2’14”. Sixth was Carlos Sainz (Ford), who clocked 5’23”. A gap also due to the 1’10” penalty. The former king of the Dakar is preceded by the Brazilian Lucas Moraes (Dacia), fourth at 3’38” and by the Swede Mattias Ekstroem (Ford), fifth at 5’21”. Sebastien Loeb eleventh at 10’41”.
CLASSIFICATION
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The overall leader does not change: Henk Lategan resists after a not particularly brilliant day. The South African on a Toyota finishes sixteenth with a delay of 12’43”. He can breathe a sigh of relief thinking about his most threatening opponent, namely Nasser Al-Attiyah. The Qatari, five times king of the Dakar, receives 2 minutes of penalties and does not go beyond fifteenth place, just 38 seconds away from the leader. Now his gap is 3’17”. Lategan, however, also has to watch out for Ekstroem, third with 5’38” to make up. Not far behind are the two Spaniards Roma, fourth at 6:59, and Sainz, fifth with 8’33”. Guthrie comes back after the bad fourth stage: Mitch is sixth (+16’23”). Loeb is eighth at 17’55”, preceded by Moraes, but ahead of Mathieu Serradori. Tenth Prokop.
MOTORCYCLE
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Ktm smiles on two wheels. Luciano Benavides takes the fifth stage of the Dakar, 414 km long. The Argentine takes the lead shortly after the halfway stage, at kilometer 240, and, after finishing with a time of 4h05’16”, inflicts clear gaps. The second classified, the Chilean Ignacio Cornejo, takes 3’51”. Behind the Hero rider is Daniel Sanders (+5’50”), also riding a Ktm. Today’s third place makes the Australian, winner of the 2025 Dakar, smile, who takes the lead in the general classification. The Hondas defend themselves. Ricky Brabec, two-time champion in the Raid, limits the damage by finishing fifth at 09′ 16″. The American is second in the general classification, 2′ behind 02” from the leader. Benavides himself is also dangerous, rising to third place with 5′ 55” to recover. Black day for Spain: Tosha Schareina pays a 10 minute penalty and drops to fourth place overall with 11’59” to recover. Disaster also for Edgar Canet, held back by a rear wheel problem and out of contention for the final victory. Adrien Van Beveren was also delayed.
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