High drama at Dakar! USA’s Ricky Brabec takes over RallyGP lead after Dan Sanders crash
Check out RacerXOnline social media for the next two weeks for daily reports from the Dakar Rally, as we get inside access to the Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally Team. This is a team running three Americans in the event, Ricky Brabec (two-time winner), Skyler Howes (former podium finisher) and rookie Preston Campbell.
Here's the Stage 10 recap, penned by Pat Schutte.
January 14, 2026 (BISHA, Saudi Arabia) – Massive turn of events today at the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally as RallyGP class leader Daniel Sanders (KTM) suffered a massive crash – and right there to assist him was Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally’s Ricky Brabec. The ‘Spirit of Dakar,’ where racers are required to stop and assist with crash victims until help arrives, Brabec was credited for his time helping Sanders (1:37). He then rallied back to 2nd place on Stage 10, behind stage-winning teammate Adrien Van Beveren, and now leads the overall Dakar Rally by just under a minute ahead of KTM’s Luciano Benevides.
The crash, occurring at the 138 km mark of the Stage 10 Special, would reportedly result in an injury to Sanders’ upper body. And though he was able to bravely soldier on and finish the stage, he lost some 24 minutes to Brabec – having had a six-minute lead over the American two-time Dakar winner heading into Stage 10.
“Yeah, we are out there by ourselves. It’s part of what we do. This is a dangerous sport. And at the end of the day he (Sanders) was safe,” said Brabec of the incident. “There was a helicopter near, but we were right there. We’re all out there for each other. This isn’t motocross where we’re banging bars and taking each other out. I’m super happy Daniel’s okay. He’s strong and he’s tough and I’m sure he’ll be on the starting line tomorrow.”
Brabec was aided by Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally teammate Tosha Schareina in assisting Sanders. Schareina stopped on top of the dune that Sanders flew off (crashing while trying to avoid another competitor, according to Brabec) and made sure Sanders, and Brabec, wouldn’t get landed on while Brabec was helping Sanders.
With Sanders dropping out of the lead, and the overall podium, Schareina moves up into 3rd position overall – 15:43 back of Brabec. American Skyler Howes (Monster Energy/Honda HRC Rally) is also locked into the top five (5th) overall, just under 20 minutes out front of teammate Van Beveren (6th).
“Time and time again we’re seeing that the Marathon stages are very key factors in this race,” said Howes of his Stage 9 and 10 effort, plus what was going on around him. “I just managed my race, had my own plan. Adrien (Van Beveren) passed me going full gas and, you know, I just let him go. Rode my own race and I would consider this a really good stage.”
While all this was going on with the overall RallyGP title chase, Rally2 leader, American Preston Campbell, was on the main jet through Stage 10, rallying past a couple mistakes to a 6th place finish and, most importantly, maintaining the overall Rally2 lead on KTM’s Toni Mulec by 3:23.
“It was a long two days. Little tricky navigation early (yesterday), and I did a pretty good job of getting through it,” said Campbell of the Stage 9 & 10 Marathon stages. “Today was all dunes, and really soft ones. Just had to push and do my best. Made it here (Bisha bivouac) and I think we’re in a good position to keep fighting for the next couple days.”
Noteworthy: Former women’s motocross star, American Sara Price (Monster Energy/Defender), continues to run well in Stock Car class. Price and her navigator, American Sean Berriman, have their Defender Rally vehicle in 2nd place overall through Stage 10. Price was the first American woman (third in Dakar history) to win a Dakar stage outright, doing so in the ’24 SSV class. She then won three more stages in the ’25 Dakar, racing her Can-Am Maverick R.
Stage 11 overview: Starting in Bisha and running a sizable 346 km Special – and massive 536 km Liaison – to Al Henakiyah, Stage 11’s pace will be fast, though not always predictable. Intersections, forks in the trail and junctions will test racers’ split second navigations decisions. Certainly, a long day in the saddle for all.
2026 Dakar Rally Stage 10 Results
RallyGP
1st – Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda)
04:15:43
2nd – Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda)
04:19:32 (03:49)
4th – Howes (Monster Energy/Honda)
04:20:34 (04:51)
Rally2
6th – Campbell (Monster Energy/Honda)
04:40:12 (+ 14:58)
2026 Dakar Overall Standings (through Stage 10 of 13)
RallyGP
1st – Brabec (41:35:13)
5th – Howes (+ 38:53)
Rally2
1st – Campbell (44:03:28)
