Adrien Van Beveren Wins, Sanders Falters: Major Drama on Dakar 2026 Stage 10

Moto Rally, Sportrik Media - Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally 2026 proved to be one of the most decisive days of the event in the Saudi Arabian desert. The white sand terrain around Bisha demanded absolute navigational precision, physical resilience, and flawless decision-making — and not every title contender was able to withstand the pressure.

In the RallyGP bike category, Adrien Van Beveren delivered a standout performance to claim his seventh Dakar stage victory. The Monster Energy Honda HRC rider finished more than four minutes clear of Luciano Benavides, asserting full control over a stage defined by complex navigation and constantly changing rhythm. The win also carried strong emotional significance, as it came on the 40th anniversary of the death of Dakar founder Thierry Sabine.

Stage 10, however, also exposed the Dakar at its most unforgiving. Reigning RallyGP champion Daniel Sanders endured a disastrous day after crashing at kilometre 138 and suffering a left shoulder injury. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider eventually finished more than 25 minutes behind the stage winner. As a result, Sanders dropped out of the overall podium positions and now trails the lead by approximately 16 minutes, a deficit that realistically ends his hopes of defending the title.

With Sanders effectively removed from the title fight, the RallyGP battle has narrowed to a duel between two riders. Ricky Brabec and Benavides are now separated by only a handful of seconds in the overall classification. The situation remains unresolved, however, as the final standings are pending confirmation of a potential time compensation for Brabec, who stopped to assist Sanders after the crash. Under Dakar regulations, such assistance can be rewarded with time back, placing the bike standings on a knife-edge ahead of the next stage.

In the Ultimate car category, the spotlight fell on Mathieu Serradori. Driving the Century CR7, Serradori dominated the stage to secure a historic victory — the first Dakar stage win for Century Racing. Behind him, Sebastien Loeb mounted a late charge to move onto the provisional podium, finishing just four seconds behind Henk Lategan after an intense fight to the final kilometres.

Drama extended across the remaining categories as well. In SSV, an internal Polaris battle unfolded, with Brock Heger holding off sustained pressure from Xavier de Soultrait to secure a one-two finish for the manufacturer. Meanwhile, Michael Docherty claimed victory in Rally2 despite spending much of the stage opening the route, a significant handicap on fast, sandy terrain.

In the Truck category, Ales Loprais maintained control of the class with a measured approach, while Kay Huzink overtook Martin Macik in the battle for a podium position, further tightening the margins among the front-runners.

With only a handful of stages remaining, Dakar 2026 has now entered a full-scale war of nerves. Injuries, navigational mistakes, and split-second decisions are set to define who survives to the finish. Stage 10 served as a stark reminder that at the world’s most brutal rally, speed alone is never enough — only those who master pressure and uncertainty will endure to the end. Continued Dakar 2026 coverage is available at https://sportrik.com/en.