The Swede triumphs ahead of Dumas and Sainz. Roma nibbles away part of the margin over the Qatari, but Nasser glimpses the final success. Howes wins on two wheels. Brabec dreams of overtaking in the general championship
Mattias Ekstrom regains victory, Nasser Al-Attiyah sees the sixth overall success closer. These are the verdicts issued from the eleventh stage of the Dakar 2026 in the car category. The Swede smiles again by conquering the section from Bisha to Al Henakiyah. At the wheel of the Ford he completed the 346 timed kilometers in 2h47’22”. Behind him were his team mates Romain Dumas (+1’22”) and Carlos Sainz (Ford) at 2’26”. The Toyotas of Joao Ferreira (+3’27”) and Seth Quintero (+4’44”) completed the top 5. Sixth was Guillaume De Mevius (+5’32”), followed by Guy Botterill (+5’47”), Eryk Goczal (+6’18”) and Saood Variawa (+7’37”). Tenth Sebastien Loeb at 8’20”.
GENERAL RANKING
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And Al-Attiyah? The Dacia driver closes the stage in seventeenth place, 12’47” away. But the good news comes by looking at the overall ranking. Nasser leads with 8’40” over Nani Roma, eleventh today at 8’37”. The margin is reduced compared to yesterday, but there are only two stages left and the Qatari can try to manage. Furthermore, the most dangerous rival on the eve of today’s stage, Henk Lategan, suffers a technical problem after 140 km and loses over an hour, leaving the top positions. So Loeb climbs to third place with 18’37”. Ekstrom is fourth at 21’32”, followed by Sainz and Serradori, respectively 28’48” and 36’06”. Moraes is seventh at 37’01”. Price (+56’59”), Variawa (+1h03’56”) and Botterill (1h07’43”) complete the top 10.
motorcycle
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Honda dominates in the eleventh stage of the Dakar. The Japanese brand scores a double thanks to Skyler Howes and Adrien Van Beveren. The American triumphed after setting the best time over 346 km: 3h09’02”. The Frenchman, winner of the tenth stage, finished close, just 21″, coming close to an encore. Third place for Edgar Canet, 1’15” away. The Spaniard on a KTM precedes his teammate Luciano Benavides, who finishes 3’37”. Fifth Tosha Schareina, 4’06” behind. Ricky Brabec follows him, 4’56” away from the top, but ahead of Bradley Cox (+8’01”), Ross Branch (+9′), Toni Mulec (+9’33”) and Martim Ventura (+9’34”). The American’s sixth place at the end of the stage, however, is the result of a precise strategy. In fact, Brabec slows down at the end and gives up the lead in the general classification to Benavides by just 23″, but will be able to take advantage of his rival’s references to overtake him in the next stage. Third position overall for Schareina with 15’16”. Further away was Daniel Sanders, fourth with 23’32”. The Australian should however be applauded given that he is competing with a fractured left collarbone and sternum.
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