RIYADH: Argentina’s Luciano Benavides etched his name into Dakar Rally history by winning the motorcycle category by just two seconds — the narrowest margin ever — after a dramatic final stage in Saudi Arabia. The KTM rider sealed victory when American Ricky Brabec lost his way late in Saturday’s decisive run to Yanbu on the Red Sea coast.
Benavides finished second in the 105 km final stage, while Honda’s overnight leader Brabec slipped to 10th after making a costly navigation error with only seven kilometres remaining. The twist proved decisive at the end of a gruelling two-week endurance challenge covering more than 8,000 km of rocky tracks, canyons and vast desert dunes.
The triumph continues a family legacy for Benavides, whose elder brother Kevin previously won the Dakar in 2021 and 2023. Honda’s Spaniard Tosha Schareina completed the podium, finishing third overall after a fiercely contested rally.
