Daniel Sanders and KTM wins 2025 Dakar
Daniel Sanders wins the 2025 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. This is KTM’s 20th Dakar title. Claiming his first Dakar victory, Daniel secured five stage victories and led the event from start to finish to win by 8 minutes and 50 seconds from the trailing Honda and its rider, Tosha Schareina.
Dakar rookie, Edgar Canet, delivered a sensational debut, topping the Rally2 category with four stage wins and finishing an impressive 8th in the overall standings.
Luciano Benavides achieved his best-ever Dakar result, finishing 4th after claiming two consecutive stage wins. Despite his early withdrawal, Kevin Benavides showed great determination, delivering strong performances during the first week of racing.
“So we have just won the Dakar Rally! It’s a massive accomplishment for myself and the team after a tough year, and I can’t thank everyone enough for the support. It’s been a long journey, and I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone! Now it’s time to kick back and relax after a long two weeks,” said the 30-year-old Australian.
Sanders dominated the 2025 Dakar Rally, culminating with a 6th place finish on stage 12’s 61-kilometer, mass-start special that crowned him the overall champion. From the outset, Daniel showcased his speed and skill, winning the prologue, the opening stage, and the ultra-tough 48-hour Chrono stage to take an early lead. Claiming two further stage wins on his KTM 450 Rally and never giving up his overall advantage, Sanders is only the second rider in history to lead the Dakar Rally from start to finish.
