12 Ene JOSEP PEDRÓ WINS STAGE 7 OF THE DAKAR RALLY
Chronicle of Josep Pedró, ISB SPORT Ambassador
The seventh special stage, the first after the rest day, was marked by the challenging route and demanding navigation on the tracks and dunes leading to Wadi Ad-Dawasir. In this context, Josep Pedró delivered a solid and consistent performance, outperforming his direct rivals and securing another victory in his category.
The Catalan rider’s result reinforces his excellent performance in this 2026 Dakar Rally, having already won several stages in his category, including stages 3, 4, and 5, which solidifies his position as one of the leading contenders in this edition.
The victory in stage 7 confirms the Spanish rider’s excellent form, as he continues to excel in one of the toughest and most demanding categories of the rally, where physical endurance, mechanical reliability, and strategy play a crucial role.
The 2026 Dakar Rally enters its second week with Josep Pedró firmly focused on his goal of delivering a strong performance in the world’s toughest rally category.
Stage 7 Summary
Stage 7 was the first stage after the rest day in Riyadh, kicking off the second week of the Dakar Rally. With 459 timed kilometers and challenging navigation sections, it clearly defined the favorites and solidified the leaders in each category.
In the motorcycle category, Argentinian Luciano Benavides (KTM) took the overall victory, completing a demanding stage marked by navigation and physical endurance. Edgar Canet (KTM) and Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) completed the podium. The overall motorcycle leader remains Daniel Sanders (KTM), followed by Ricky Brabec and Luciano Benavides.
In the car category, Sweden’s Mattias Ekström (Ford) won the stage after capitalizing on a setback for Henk Lategan, with João Ferreira (Toyota) and Mitch Guthrie (Ford) completing the podium. Nasser Al-Attiyah (Dacia) remains the overall leader, with Ekström in second and Nani Roma (Ford) in third.
In the truck category, Russia’s Dmitry Sotnikov (Kamaz) won the stage and maintains his overall lead, extending his advantage over his rivals on a course full of dunes and fast tracks.
In the SSV category, Jeremías González Ferioli won the stage, followed by Kyle Chaney and João Monteiro, in a special stage marked by speed and precise navigation.
With this stage, the 2026 Dakar enters its final stretch, with drivers and teams ready to face the last special stages that will define the champions in each category and keep the excitement going until the finish line. Now we have the eighth stage, which will be the longest of this edition with 481 timed km, and promises to test the endurance of the drivers and further define the fight for the lead in all categories.